Cullens reading Twilight saga
by Isabella-swan-3000
Summary: The Cullens have a box of books delivered and read them................... Please Read and Review
1. Start of First Sight Part 1

As Emmett walked into Edward's room he automatically started looking through the book's his brother possessed

"What are you doing" Edward yelled as he charged towards Emmett

"Looking for something to do" was Emmett's reply

"so do it so…."before he could finish the door bell rang and Emmett was gone like a bat out of hell

As Emmett reached the door and yanked it open he saw a box on the floor but no one in sight

"hey people want to read a book with me" Emmett asked as he removed the first book

As everyone walked in they nodded in agreement "ok so who's first" Emmett asked

"I am" Alice shouted an grabbed the book and sat at the dining room table

"**Preference"** Alice read

**Preface**

**I'd never given much thought to how I would die-though I'd had reason enough in the last few months-but even**

**if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.**

"that's true not many human's feel the need to think about that" Carlisle said

**I stared without breathing across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back **

**at me. Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to**

**count for something.**

"this girl is very giving if she is willing to give her life for another" Edward said with a slight smile

**I knew that if I'd never gone to Forks, I wouldn't be facing death now. But terrified as I was, I couldn't bring **

**myself to regret the decision. When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of you expectations, it's not **

**reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end. The hunter smiled in a friendly way as he sauntered forward to**

**kill me**

"well that's a way to start a book" Emmett said with a laugh

"aright lets read the first chapter" Edward said impatiently

**First sight-**Alice read

**My mother drove me to the airport with the windows rolled down. It was seventy-five degrees in Phoenix, the sky a perfect, cloudless blue. I was wearing my favorite shirt-sleeveless, white eyelet lace; I was wearing it as a farewell gesture. My carry-on item was a parka.**

"Ha-ha she' going to need it here in forks" Emmett said laughing

"Wouldn't it be nice to go to phoenix" Alice sighed "I mean think of all the shopping"

"Yes apart from the fact that you would shine like a million diamonds honey" jasper said

"I know jazz but I am aloud to fantasise" Alice said

"But enough lets continue" Rosalie said

**In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town named Forks exists under a near-constant cover of clouds. It rains on this inconsequential town more than any other place in the United Sates of America. It was from this town and its gloomy, omnipresent shade that my mother escaped with me when I was only a few months old. It was this town that I'd been compelled to spend a month every summer until I was fourteen. That was the year I finally put my foot down; these past three summers, my dad Charlie, vacationed with me in California for two weeks instead. It was to Forks that I now exiled myself-an action that I took with great horror. I detested Forks.**

"what an weird human why on earth would she go to the place she hates the most" Rosalie questioned-as she thought about how much better it would be if she was to stay way from here and her family.

"I wonder she seems like the type of person who likes the sun" Edward mused

"Yeah then why come to forks aye Eddie" Emmett said

"Maybe she has Altria motives" Edward said "but that is a good question why would she come here"

"Maybe it would help if your quiet enough for us to read and find out "Alice complained trying to hid her smirk while blocking her mind causing Edward to raise an eyebrow at her and she shook her head in response

**I loved Phoenix. I loved the sun and it's blistering heat.**

"Hmm so I was right" Edward mused

"Know it all" Emmett said sticking his tong out at his brother

**I loved the vigorous, sprawling city.**

"**Bella," my mom said to me-the last of a thousand times-before I got on the plane. "You don't have to do this."**

**My mom looks like me, except with short hair and laugh lines. I felt a spasm of panic as I stared at her wide, childlike eyes. How could I leave my loving, erratic, harebrained mother to fend for herself? Of course she had Phil now, so the bills would probably get paid, there would b food in the refrigerator, gas in her car and someone to call when she got lost, but still….**

"Her mother sounds like a child in the relationship" Jasper said confused

"Yes it happens some times in divorce situations" Carlisle said

"**I **_**want**_** to go," I lied. I'd always been a bad liar, but I'd been saying this lie so frequently lately that it sounded almost convincing now.**

"**Tell Charlie I said hi."**

"**I will."**

"**I'll see you soon," she insisted. "You can come home whenever you want-I'll come right back as soon as you need me."**

**But I could see the sacrifice in her eyes behind the promise**

"**Don't worry about me," I urged. "It'll be great. I love you, Mom."**

"she's doing it for her mother" Esme cooed "what a sweet chilled" She said with a wistful sigh- causing Carlisle to pull her closer as she thought back to her human life and her child that perished in it

**She hugged me tightly for a minute, and then I got on the plane, and she was gone. It was a four-hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles and then an hour drive back down to Forks. Flying doesn't bother me; the hour in the car with Charlie, though, I was a little worried about.**

"Hm I never noticed but that dose seem like quite a long time" Jasper mused

"Yes but only to humans but I am curios as to why she would worry about a car rid with her farther" Edward said

"She really shouldn't be he is her farther after all" Esme wondered aloud

**Charlie had been fairly nice about the whole thing. He seemed genuinely pleased that I was coming to live with him for the first time with any degree of permanence. **

"No doubt he has probable missed her quite a bit" Esme said "she has been gone for some time after all"

**He'd already gotten me registered for high school **

"What" four voices yelled together causing Esme and Carlisle to move back while Alice stood there smirking

"What's wrong" Esme asked worry clear in her tone

"Esme" started Edward "were having a new student arrive in a couple of weeks her names Isabella Swan daughter of Charlie Swan I and the others don't think this is just a book we don't think it's just a book but it might be real" once he had finished it was silent

"Well lets read and see" Emmett said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world which it was well at least to him

**and was going to help me get a car. But it was going to be awkward with Charlie. Neither of us was what anyone would call verbose, and I didn't know what there was to say regardless. I knew he was more than a little confused by my decision- like my mother before me, I hadn't made a secret of my distaste for Forks.**

"So that's the reason she was worried about the car ride" Edward said

"So it would seem but it might be a good thing that she's decided to come here hay she might even be your mate" Emmett said laughing while everyone but Alice shot each other worried glances at Jasper

**When I landed in Port Angeles, it was raining. I didn't see it as an omen- just unavoidable. I'd already said my goodbyes to the sun. Charlie was waiting for me with the cruiser. This I was expecting, too. Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks.**

"Ah so it is chief Swan's daughter that is in this book" Carlisle said while the rest of his family straitened in there chairs

"Now that we know we should be extra careful" Edward said as the family nodded in agreement while Alice shot him a deadly glare

**My primary motivation behind buying a car, despite the scarcity of my funds, was that I refused to be driven around town in a car with red and blue lights on top. Nothing slows down traffic like a cop.**

Emmett laughed at that while everyone else looked at him like he was crazy

"What it was funny" Emmett whined and surprising everyone Edward chuckled there was dead silence for a minuet as everyone turned to look at him while Alice smiled broadly and continued

**Charlie gave me an awkward, one-armed hug when I stumbled my way off the plane.**

"Stumbled do you think she's clumsy that would be the best" Emmett said laughing

"**It's good to see you Bells," he said, smiling as he automatically caught and steadied me. "You haven't changed much. How's Renee?"**

"**Mom's fine. It's good to see you too, Dad." I wasn't allowed to call him Charlie to his face.**

"I would hope not that is a terrible rude thing to do" Esme scolded

"Not for today's generation's mom" Edward said sighing

**I had only a few bags. Most of my Arizona clothes were too permeable for Washington. My mom and I had pooled our resources to supplement my winter wardrobe, but it was still scanty. It all fit easily into the trunk of the cruiser.**

"What" shrieked Alice "that is unacceptable when she gets here I am going to by her a whole new wardrobe"

"Honey you don't know her" Jasper tried to calm her but failed miserably

Alice only smirked as she asked "Jazz out of the two of us who's the physic"

"You are Alice but you will not go near her" Edward commanded all he received was a small hump

"**I found a good car for you, really cheap," he announced when we were strapped in.**

"**What kind of car?" I was suspicious of the way he said "good car for **_**you**_**" as opposed to just "good car".**

"She's observant and quick" jasper said worried

"**Well, it's a truck actually, a Chevy."**

"Ewe what the hell who would even touch one of those things let alone drive one" Rosalie complained thinking of her BMW and how fast it can go

"Yeah just imagine how slow it would go" Emmett said with a shudder

"She is only a human Emmett she doesn't need to drive fast" Edward said getting defensive of the girl which caused Alice to smirk again

"**Where did you find it?"**

"**Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push?"**

There was a collective hiss from everyone but Carlisle

"Ugly mutts" Rosalie muttered

"Stupid wolves" Emmett muttered. But imagined he was in a fight with one of them and a wide grin spread out over his face at the thought but Edward shook his head at his big brother

**La Push is the tiny Indian reservation on the coast.**

"**No."**

"**He used to go fishing with us during the summer," Charlie prompted.**

**That would explain why I didn't remember him. I do a good job of blocking painful, unnecessary things from my memory.**

Edward had a concerned look at the thought of this girl having anything painful happen to her

"**He's in a wheelchair now," Charlie continued when I didn't respond, "so he can't drive anymore and e offered to sell his truck cheap."**

"**What year is it?" I could see from his change of expression that this was the question he was hoping I wouldn't ask.**

Emmett laughed "It must be bad then" and at that the entire family chuckled till Edward stoped abruptly

"She seems very perceptive it might not be the best of things for her to come here" once Edward had finished no one was laughing but they had thoughtful looks on there faces

"**Well, Billy's done a lot of work on the engine- it's only a few years old really."**

**I hoped he didn't think so little of me as to believe I would give up that easily. "When did he buy it?"**

"**He brought it in 1984, I think."**

"**Did he buy it new?"**

"**Well, no. I think it was new in the early sixties- or late fifties at the earliest," he admitted sheepishly.**

"Hmm she also seems very stubborn and add that to her perceptive nature it might be best if she had quite a distance to us" Edward said and the family all nodded in agreement but Alice had a look on her face as if to say he didn't want to be saying that because it would back fire big time and little did he know how right she was

"**Ch—Dad, I don't really know anything about cars. I wouldn't be able to fix it if anything went wrong and I couldn't afford a mechanic…"**

"**Really, Bella, the thing runs great. They don't build them like that anymore."**

_**The thing**_**, I thought to myself…it had possibilities**

Rosalie scoffed and said "As what scrap metal"

**as a nickname, at the very least.**

"oh I guess that works also"

"**How cheap is cheap?" After all, that was the part I couldn't compromise on.**

"**Well, honey, I kind of already brought it for you. As a homecoming gift."**

"That is very thought full of him" Esme said a smile on her lips

**Charlie peeked sideways at me with a hopeful expression. Wow. Free.**

"**You didn't have to do that, Dad. I was going to buy myself a car."**

"**I don't mind. I want you to be happy here." He was looking ahead at the road when he said this. Charlie wasn't comfortable with expressing his emotions out loud. I inherited that from him. So I was looking straight ahead as I responded.**

"**That's really nice, Dad. Thanks. I really appreciate it." No need to add that my being happy in Forks is an impossibility.**

"She prefers to suffer in silence not many humans would do that most would want an audience she is truly odd" Jasper said as he thought-she seems like a perfect fit for Edward

That caused Edward to send a low growl his way

"Wow bro it was just a fleeting thought" Jasper said with his palms raised forward

**He didn't need to suffer along with me. And I never looked a free truck in the mouth- or engine.**

"Ha-ha that's a good one" Emmett laughed

"My dear husband you have a sad sense of humour" Rosalie said causing him to pout so she continued "but I love you anyway"

"**Well, now, you're welcome," he mumbled, embarrassed by my thanks. **

**We exchanged a few more comments on the weather, which was wet, and that was pretty much it for conversation. We stared out the window in silence. It was beautiful, of course; I couldn't deny that. Everything was green: the trees, their trunks covered with moss, their branches hanging with a canopy of it, the ground covered with ferns. Even the air filtered down greenly through the leaves. It was too green- an alien planet.**

"She really hates Forks" Rosalie said smirking

"Not for long" sang Alice in an I-know-something-you-don't-know voice as she blocked her mind receiving an annoyed glance from Edward

**Eventually we made it to Charlie's. He still lived in the small, two-bedroom house that's he'd brought in the early days of their marriage. Those were the only kind of days their marriage had- the early ones. There, parked on the street in front of the house that never changed, was my new- well new to me- truck. It was faded red colour, with big, rounded fenders and a bulbous cab. To my intense surprise I loved it.**

"How could she the thing probable cant go over forty-five at best" Rosalie said a shudder ripping through her body

"Well it is at lest better than the curser" Emmett said "but no where as good as my jeep or you car baby"

**I didn't know if it would run, but I could see myself in it. Plus, it was one of those solid iron affairs that never gets damaged- the kind you see at the scene of an accident, paint unscratched, surrounded by the pieces of the foreign car it had destroyed.**

"Sounds like my jeep" Emmett said smugly

"No it sounds like you" Jasper replied with a laugh that everyone but Emmett joined in on

"**Wow, Dad, I love it! Thanks!" Now my horrific day tomorrow would be just that much less dreadful. I wouldn't be faced with the choice of either walking two miles in the rain to school or accepting a ride in the Chief's cruiser.**

"**I'm glad you like it," Charlie said gruffly, embarrassed again. **

**It only took one trip to get all my stuff upstairs.**

"Humph" Alice said

"Honey she can shop while here plus she did come from a sunny town so she might not have many winter clothes" Jasper said trying to pacify his wife with claming waves.

She thought for a second then agreed when Bella came she would shop for her no buts

**I got the west bedroom that faced out over the front yard. The room was familiar; it had belonged to me since I was born. The wooden floor, the light blue walls, the peaked ceiling, the yellowed lace curtains around the window- these were all a part of my childhood. The only changes Charlie had ever made were switching the crib for a bed and adding a desk as I grew. The desk now held a second-hand computer, with the phone line for the modem stapled along the floor to the nearest phone jack. This was a stipulation from my mother, so that we could stay in touch easily. The rocking chair from my baby days was still in the corner. There was only one small bathroom at the top of the stairs, which I would have to share with Charlie. I was trying not to dwell too much on that fact.**

"Poor girl" Rosalie said suddenly sympathetic to her Alice nodded in agreement

"What's so bad abo…" Emmett said but stoped as he caught Alice's glare nothings more scary than a pissed off pixy

**One of the best things about Charlie is that he doesn't hover. He left me alone to unpack and get settled, a feat that would have been altogether impossible for my mother. It was nice to be alone, not to have to smile and look pleased; a relief to stare dejectedly out the window at the sheeting rain and let just a few tears escape.**

"I still don't get her reasoning skills why on earth would she come here" Edward aid shaking his head

"Dear what ever the reason she is coming it must be a good one" Esme said kindly

**I wasn't in the mood to go on a real crying jag. I would save that for bedtime, when I would have to think about the coming morning. Forks High School had a frightening total of only three hundred and fifty-seven- now fifty-eight- students; there were more than seven hundred people in my junior class alone back home. All the kids here had grown up together- their grandparents had been toddlers together. I would be the new girl from the big city, a curiosity, a freak.**

"We can relit were shunned merely because of instinct" Alice sighed as jasper pulled her closer to him

**Maybe, if I looked like a girl from Phoenix should, I could work this to my advantage. But physically, I'd never fit in anywhere. I should be tan, sporty, blond- a volleyball player or a cheerleader perhaps-**

"She obviously doesn't look like the phoenix type of girl" Rosalie said

"Yeah but that just makes her more unique" Edward said sighing the rest of the family stoped for a second till they continued the book

**all the things that go with living in the valley of the sun. Instead I was ivory- skinned, without even the excuse of blue eyes or red hair, despite the constant sunshine. I had always been slender, but d\soft somehow, obviously not an athlete; I didn't have the necessary hand-eye coordination to play sports without humiliating myself- and harming both myself and anyone else who stood too close.**

"Huh she's clumsy" Emmett said as he exploded in to a laughing fit this information though seemed to only make Edward want to know more about the human girl


	2. First Sight Part 2

Hey it's Isabella-Swan-3000 but I have a quicker nick name its Bella-30 and I wanted to thank all these people for the review they gave me

Angelsrm, Heala, Mysterious Vampire, GothAngelFromHell , cb

I also kind of wanted to apologies as well in my last chapter I didn't put a disclaimer for the plot but I am now and if anyone who reads this has any criticism please help me out because I am a newbie and need to know how I can improve

**When I finished putting my clothes in the old pine dresser, I took my bag of bathroom necessities and went to the communal bathroom to clean myself up after the day of travel. I looked at my face in the mirror as I brushed my through my tangled, damp hair. Maybe it was the light, but already I looked sallower, unhealthy. My skin could be pretty- it was very clear, almost translucent looking- but it depended on colour. I had no colour here.**

"Well that will make her less likely to stand out most people in forks have very little colour" Carlisle said professionally

**Facing my pallid reflection in the mirror, I was forced to admit that I was lying to myself. It wasn't physically that I'd never fit in. And if I couldn't find a niche in a school with three thousand people, what were my chances here?**

At that Alice smiled as she blocked Edward before he looked which irritated

**I didn't relate well to people my age.**

"No I see that she is very smart and compassionate way beyond her years I guess she's and old sole" Edward said as he thought aloud

**Maybe the truth was that I didn't relate well to people, period.**

"Hey neither do we so maybe she could hang with us" Emmett said while his wife and Edward growled at him

"oh hell no Emmett didn't you listen to how preceptive she is and us never eating well that will add to things she would see if she did not to mention the danger of the situation" Rosalie said a vicious glare set on her perfect face it was enough even to make Emmett shrink in his chair

"Yes Emmett you should maybe think before you start to say things" Edward said as he too glared at Emmett

"Enough children behave and lets continue" Esme said sweetly and Edward and Rosalie grudgingly stoped there glaring

**Even my mother, who I was closer to than anyone else on the planet, was never in harmony with me, never exactly on the same page. Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain. But the cause didn't matter. All that mattered was the effect. And tomorrow would just be the beginning.**

**I didn't sleep well that night, even after I was done crying.**

"Well I am afraid she will have to get used to it because it rains constantly here" Edward said with a sigh

"Not constantly just most of the time" Jasper corrected as Edward shot him a look as if to say your point

**The constant whooshing of the rain and the wind across the roof wouldn't fade into the background. I pulled the faded quilt over my head, and later added the pillow, too. But I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, when the rain finally settled into a quieter drizzle. Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a cage.**

"That's Forks for you" Jasper said sarcastically

**Breakfast with Charlie was a quiet event. He wished me good luck at school. I thanked him knowing his hope was wasted.**

"that's odd even for her I wonder why she would say that" Edward wondered aloud

**Good luck tended to avoid me.**

"Oh I guess that's why"

**Charlie left first, off to the police station that was his wife and family. After he left, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three unmatching chairs and examined his small kitchen, with its dark paneled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Nothing was changed. My mother had painted the cabinets eighteen years ago in an attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First a wedding picture of Charlie and my mom in Las Vegas, then one of the three of us in the hospital after I was born, taken by a helpful nurse, followed by a procession of my school pictures up to last year's. Those were embarrassing to look at- I would have to see what I could do to get Charlie to put them somewhere else, at least while I was living here.**

**It was impossible, being in this house, not to realize that Charlie had never gotten over my mom. It made me uncomfortable.**

"hmm it certainly would make one a little on edge considering she has re- married" Carlisle said but then out of know where a mobile was through to him he caught it with ease and looked to the culprit and his eyes landed on Alice he raised a eyebrow at her

"Call the hospital and say where going camping so they and the school don't interrupt" Alice said with a smirk Carlisle sighed but did as was asked

Once he had she continued to read

**I didn't want to be early to school, but I couldn't stay in the house anymore. I donned my jacket- which had the feel of a biohazard suit- and headed out into the rain. It was just drizzling still, not enough to soak me though immediately as I reached for the house key that was always hidden under the eaves by the door, and locked up.**

Emmett smirked at that-_humans always have a spare I guess it dose help with breaking in though_

His thoughts caused Edward to frown slightly thinking of possible danger that could come from that

**The sloshing of my new waterproof boots was unnerving. I missed the normal crunch of gravel as I walked. I couldn't pause and admire my truck again as I wanted: I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet that swirled around my head and clung to my hair under my hood. Inside the truck, it was nice and dry. Either Billy or Charlie had obviously cleaned it up, but the tan upholstered seats still smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline and peppermint.**

"eww it most likely would smell of dog too" Rosalie said as she rinkeled her nose

**The engine started quickly, to my relief, but loudly, roaring to life and then idling at top volume. Well, a truck this old was bound to have a flaw. The antique radio worked, a plus that I hadn't expected. **

"ill bet" Rosalie scoffed

**Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. The school was, like most things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that is was the school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically. Where were the chain-link fences, the metal detectors?**

"Metal detectors" Emmett asked confused

"Yes most big schools find the need to check students for weapons that might be harmful; to others" Edward said as if it was a known fact while most just staired at him

"Why do you know that" Emmett asked worry in her eyes and thoughts

"No reason merely a trivial fact of the mind I picked up once" Edward said shrugging

**I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading FRONT OFFICE. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot. I stepped unwillingly out of the toasty truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door.**

**Inside it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front.**

"Well if the school has not changed much it must happen sooner than we thought" Jasper said

**There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed. **

"Miss Cope for sure" Alice said crinkling her nose in disgust at her attire causing Emmett to laugh

**The red-haired woman looked up.**

"**Can I help you?"**

"**I'm Isabella Swan**," **I informed her and saw the immediate awareness in her eyes. I was expected, a topic of gossip no doubt. Daughter of the Chief's flighty ex-wife, come home at last.**

"**Of course," she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the right ones she was looking for.**

"**I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school." She brought several sheets to the counter to show me. She went through my classes for me, highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped, like Charlie, that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could.**

**When I went back out to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were older like mine, nothing flashy.**

"Duh all the cars but are ones suck" Emmett said with a small grimace that Rosalie repeated

**At home I'd lived in one of the few lower-income neighborhoods that were included in the Paradise Valley District. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot.**

"That sounds so nice imagine Having a Porsche that you could show of" Alice said with a dreamy sigh that was mimicked by Rosalie who had a dreamy look on her face

**Still, I cut the engine as soon as I was in a spot, so that the thunderous volume wouldn't draw attention to me. I looked at the map in the truck, trying to memorize it now; hopefully I wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of my nose all day. I stuffed everything into my bag, slung the strap over my shoulder, and sucked in a huge breath. I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. No one was going to bite me.**

"Well try" Jasper said with a small laugh that everyone joined in on because of its obscurity

**I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck. I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked to the sidewalk, crowded with teenagers. My plain black jacket didn't stand out, I noticed with relief. Once I got around to the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot. A large black "3" was painted on a white square n the east corner.**

"That's because Forks is very small so it's easy to find things" Edward said

"Every thing but decent clothes" Alice grumbled with a pout

**I felt my breathing gradually creep toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats through the door. The classroom was small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. I copied them. They were two girls, one porcelain-colored blonde, the other also pale with light brown hair. At least my skin wouldn't stand out here.**

"That's why its one of the best places to live" Emmett said

"That and barely any sun" Carlisle clarified

**I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me when he saw my name- not an encouraging response- and of course I flushed tomato red. But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It was harder for me new classmates to stare at me at the back, but somehow they managed. I kept my eyes down on the reading list the teacher had given me. It was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner. I'd already read everything. That was comforting and boring. I wondered if my mom would send me my folder of old essays,**

"Hey that's a good idea I should use it" Emmett muttered under his breath actually considering it till he caught Esme's upset face and sighed in defeat

**or if she would think that was cheating. I went through different arguments with her in my head while the teacher droned on. When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a gangly boy with skin problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.**

"That sounds like Eric" Edward said with a frown that caused Alice to smile slightly

"I bet that's Eric," said Edward.

"**You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.**

"**Bella," I corrected. Everyone with in a three-seat radius turned to look at me.**

"**Where's your next class?" he asked.**

**I had to check in my bag. "Umm, Government, with Jefferson, in building six." There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes.**

"**I'm headed toward building four, I could show you the way…" Definitely over-helpful.**

"**I'm Eric," he added.**

"Ha-ha so I was right" Edward laughed

"So nothing new" Emmett muttered

**I smiled tentatively. "Thanks."**

**We got our jackets and headed out into the rain, which had picked up. I could have sworn several people behind us were walking close enough to eavesdrop. I hoped I wasn't getting paranoid.**

"**So, this is very different than Phoenix, huh?" he asked.**

"**Very."**

"**It doesn't rain much there, does it?"**

"**Three or four times a year."**

"**Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered.**

"Dry, sunny and humid" Muttered Rosalie

"**Sunny," I told him.**

"**You don't look very tan."**

"**My mother is part albino."**

**He studied my face apprehensively, and I sighed. It looked like clouds and a sense of humor didn't mix.**

"Well that want very funny was it" Emmett said looking expectantly to his family who choose to ignore him

**A few months of this and I'd forget how to use sarcasm. We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. Eric walked me right to the door, though it was clearly marked.**

"**Well, good luck," he said as I touched the handle. "Maybe we'll have some other classes together." He sounded hopeful.**

**I smiled at him vaguely and went inside. The rest of the morning passed in about the same fashion. My Trigonometry teacher, Mr. Varner, who I would have hated anyway just because of the subject he taught, was the only one who made me stand in front of the class and introduce myself. **

"Poor girl she has Mr. Vanner" Emmett said with sympathy while his siblings nodded in agreement

**I stammered, blushed and tripped over my own boots on the way to my seat. After two classes, I started to recognize several of the faces in each class. There was always someone braver than the others who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks. I tried to be diplomatic, but mostly I just lied a lot. At least I never needed a map.**

"she always looks to the bright side I like it" Emmett said causing Edward to smile slightly thinking about the girl then shaking his head to clear it of the thoughts of what she might be like

**One girl sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish, and she walked with me to the cafeteria for lunch. She was tiny, several inches shorter than my five feet four inches, but her wildly curly dark hair made up a lot of difference between our heights. I couldn't remember her name, so I smiled and nodded as she prattled on about teachers and classes. I didn't try to keep up.**

"I'm guessing that is Jessica Stanley," said Alice "she can never shut up for longer that 10 seconds"

"Hey didn't she have a thing for you Eddie" Emmett said laughing at the horrified face Edward was making

"Yes she did but now she seems in to Mike Newton" Edward said with a relived sigh causing Emmett to laugh more

**We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, who she introduced to me. I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them. They seemed impressed by her bravery in speaking to me. The boy from English, Eric, waved at me from across the room. It was there, sitting in the lunchroom, trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, that I first saw them.**

"This must be where you lot enter" Esme said

"Finally" exclaimed Emmett "about time I was waiting for this" as the others shared a worried look

**They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away from where I sat as possible in the long room. There were five of them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them.**

"No doubt about it this book is what will happen when she comes here" Jasper said with a frown

"Yes it seems that way but lets continue" Edward said worried again

**They weren't gawking at me, unlike most of the other students, so it was quite safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes. But it was none of these things that caught, and held my attention. They didn't look anything alike. Of the three boys, one was big-muscled like a serious weightlifter, with dark, curly hair.**

"Yah me first suck on that" Emmett said causing Rosalie to hit him on the head

**Another was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and honey-blond. The last was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college or even teachers here as opposed to students.**

"She seems to be very interested in you Edward" Carlisle said causing Esme to smile slightly- _maybe she's his mate oh that would be lovely he deserves some one like her_

Esme thoughts caused Edward to try and hid a smile because it seemed every one including himself had thoughts along the same line

**The girls were opposites. The tall one was statuesque. She had a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of the **_**Sports Illustrated**_** swimsuit issue, the kind that made every girl around her take a hit on her self-esteem just by being in the same room. Her hair was golden, gently waving to the middle of her back.**

"Wow she has a good eye" Emmett said looking at his wife with love and devotion in his eyes

**The short girl was pixielike, thin in the extreme, with small features. Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction. And yet, they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this sunless town. Paler than me, the albino. They all had very dark eyes despite their range in hair tones.**

"It must have been two weeks since we hunted last then" Alice said slightly worried but unlike usual it was not for Jasper but for Edward

**They also had dark shadows under those eyes- purplish, bruiselike shadows. As if they were all suffering from a sleepless night, or almost done recovering from a broken nose. Though their noses, all their features, were straight, perfect, angular.**

"she seems very observant even from that distance" Jasper said getting even more worried for his families safety as was everyone else

**But this was not the reason why I could not look away.**

"Huh she really isn't that different from ordinary people then she also must find us extremely good looking" Edward said sounding slightly disappointed

**I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all so devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful.**

"See" Edward aid slightly smug slightly disappointed

**They were faces you never expected to see except perhaps on the airbrushed pages of a fashion magazine. Or painted by an old master as the face of an angel. It was hard to decide who was the most beautiful- maybe the perfect blonde girl, or the bronze-haired boy.**

"oh Eddie she likes you" Emmett said teasingly

**They were all looking away- away from each other, away from the other students, way from anything in particular as far as I could tell. As I watched, the small girl rose with her tray in her hand-unopened soda, unbitten apple- and walked away with a quick, graceful lope that belonged on a runway. **

"again very observant" Jasper said

**I watched, amazed at her lithe dancer's step, till she dumped her tray and glided through the back door, faster than I would have thought possible. My eyes darted back to the others, who sat unchanging.**

"**Who are **_**they**_**?" I asked the girl from my Spanish class, whose name I'd already forgotten.**

"I wonder how Jessica will describe us" Alice wondered aloud then shuddered

**As she looked up to see who I meant-though already knowing, probably from my tone- suddenly he looked at her, the thinner one, the boyish one, the youngest perhaps. He looked at my neighbor for just a fraction of a second, and then his dark eyes flickered to mine.**

"Hey why you do the Edward" Emmett asked

"I don't know probably heard her call my name and reflex looked" Edward said slightly mystified

**He looked away quickly, more quickly than I could, though in a flush of embarrassment I dropped my eyes at once. In that brief flash of a glance, his face held nothing of interest- it was if she had called his name, and he'd looked up in involuntary response, having already decided on an answer.**

"I have never heard of a human noticing so much in just one glance" Edward said his tone showed his amazement his family members looked slightly amazed too only Rosalie looked slightly enraged by how observant the girl seemed

**My neighbor giggled in embarrassment, looking at the table like I did.**

"**That's Edward and Emmett Cullen and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife." She said this all under one breath.**

**I glanced sideways at the beautiful boy,**

"That's so cute you have another admirer Eddie lets hope she's not like Jessica in the boy department" Emmett said laughing at his brother

**who was looking at his tray now, picking a bagel to pieces with long, pale fingers. His mouth was moving very quickly, his perfect lips barely opening. The other three still looked away, and yet I felt he was speaking quietly to them.**

"it is slightly concerning how much she has noticed in so little time" Carlisle said

"Yes and imagine how much she could notice if she stayed in Forks" Esme said concerned for her family's well being

**Strange, unpopular names, I thought. The kinds of names grandparents had**

"Ha-ha only because were old enough for that to be true" Emmet joked

**But maybe that was in vogue here-small town names? I finally remembered that my neighbor was called Jessica, a perfectly common name. There were two girls named Jessica in my History class back home.**

"huh so it was Jessica Stanley," Alice exclaimed in triumph

"**They are…very nice looking." I struggled with the conspicuous understatement.**

"**Yes!" Jessica agreed with another giggle. "They're all **_**together**_** though- Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they**_** live **_**together."**

"Oh no what a crime" Emmett said in mock horror then burst out laughing causing his family to laugh with him

**Her voice held all the shock and condemnation of the small town, I thought critically. But, if I was being honest, I had to admit that even in Phoenix, it would cause gossip.**

"**Which ones are the Cullens?" I asked. "They don't look related…?"**

"**Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen is really young, in his twenties or early thirties.**

"Only to humans" Jasper said

**They're all adopted. The Hales are brother and sister, twins- the blondes- and they're foster children."**

"**They look a little old for foster children."**

"**They are now, Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that."**

"it amazes me how gullible humans are" Rosalie laughed

"**That's really nice- for them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything."**

"**I guess so," Jessica admitted reluctantly, and I got the impression that she didn't like the doctor and his wife for some reason. With the glances she was throwing at the adopted children, I would presume the reason was jealousy.**

"hmm so its not just us she picked up things from but others also" Edward said " and the fact that she was able to call Jessica on her jealousy even better" Edward chuckled slightly

"**I think that Mrs. Cullen can't have kids though," she added, as if that lessened their kindness.**

Esme smiled slightly at the fact that the girl seemed truly kind

**Throughout all this conversation, my eyes flickered again and again to the table where the strange family sat. They continued to look at the walls and not eat.**

"**Have they always lived in Forks?" I asked. Surely I would have noticed them on one of my summers here.**

"**No," she said in a voice that implied it should be obvious, even to a new arrival like me. "They just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska."**

**I felt a surge of pity and relief.**

"Interesting mix of her emotions wonder why" Jasper said

"Well lets read and find out" Alice said

**Pity because, as beautiful as they were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted. Relief that I wasn't the only newcomer here, and certainly not the most interesting by any standard.**

"Ah that explains it" Jasper said

**As I examined them, the youngest, one of the Cullens, looked up and met my gaze, this time with evident curiosity in his expression. As I looked swiftly away, it seemed to me that his glance held some kind of unmet expectation.**

"What that's interesting I wonder why" Edward said slightly annoyed

"**Which is the boy with the reddish brown hair?" I asked. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, and he was till staring at me, but not gawking like the other students had today- he had a slightly frustrated expression. I looked down again.**

"Why are you frustrated" Rosalie asked

"Maybe at how much she noticed" Edward stuttered slightly as he tried to come up with a good explanation but was coming up blank

"**That's Edward. He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him." She sniffed, a clear case of sour grapes. I wondered when he'd turned her down.**

At this comment, everyone began to laugh.

"She is very perceptive," said Rosalie, still laughing.

**I bit my lip to hide a smile. Then I glanced at him again. His face was turned away, but I thought his cheek appeared lifted, as if he were smiling, too. **

"no doubt I was" Edward aid laughing again

**After a few more minutes, the four of them left the table together. They were all noticeably graceful- even the big, brawny one. It was unsettling to watch. The one named Edward didn't look at me again. I sat at the table with Jessica and her friends than I would have if I'd been sitting alone. One of my new acquaintances, who considerately reminded me that her name was Angela, had Biology II with me the next hour.**

"Oh Angela Webber a very kind human" Edward nodded in approval at the person she chose to befriend

**We walked to class together in silence. She was shy, too. When we entered the classroom, Angela went to sit at a black-topped lab table exactly like the ones I was used to. She already had a neighbor. In fact, all the tables were filled but one. Next to the center aisle, I recognized Edward Cullen by his unusual hair, sitting next to that single open seat.**

"poor human she has to work with Edward" Emmett said sympathetically

**As I walked down the aisle to introduce myself to the teacher and get my slip signed, I was watching him surreptitiously. Just as I passed, he suddenly went rigid in his seat. He stared at me again, meeting my eyes with the strangest expression on his face- it was hostile, furious.**

"What's wrong with you" Rosalie asked as she giggled slightly

"I am not sure," said Edward, a little worried "but lets hope its nothing serious" Edward continued as he waited for Alice to continue

**HEY review to read more XOXO Bella-30**


	3. End of First sight Part 3

**Disclaimer- I do not own Twilight or this plot**

**-but hope you like the end of chapter one-**

**

* * *

**

**I looked away quickly, shocked, going red again. I stumbled over a book in the walkway and had to catch myself on the edge of a table. The girl sitting there giggled.**

**I'd noticed that his eyes were black — coal black**

"you haven't hunted and she must smell good no wonder why your hostile to her" Jasper commented as a small frown appeared on his face-but its Edward I mean its understandable if it were me but him…he has as almost as much control as Carlisle

"No way" Emmett yelled "Ed has as tones of control like Carlisle I don't believe he would fall of the wagon like this" once Emmett had finished everyone was staring at him in awe because of the seriousness he had just shown.

Though all vampires are smart Emmett prefers to be the one to lighten the mood so for him to take this seriously means how strongly he feels about the subject.

"Alright" Alice chirped with a little frown on her face but covered it quickly "lets continue" she continued

**Mr. Banner signed my slip and handed me a book with no nonsense about introductions. I could tell we were going to get along. Of course, he had no choice but to send me to the one open seat in the middle of the room. I kept my eyes down as I went to sit by him, bewildered by the antagonistic stare he'd given me.**

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen what a horrible thing to do to the poor girl considering how much she was already concerned with her moving schools you should be nicer to her" Esme scolded

"Sorry mom" Edward whispered

**Inconspicuously, I sniffed my hair. It smelled like strawberries, the scent of my favorite shampoo. It seemed an innocent enough odor. I let my hair fall over my right shoulder, making a dark curtain between us, and tried to pay attention to the teacher.**

**Unfortunately the lecture was on cellular anatomy, something I'd already studied. I took notes carefully anyway, always looking down.**

**I couldn't stop myself from peeking occasionally through the screen of my hair at the strange boy next to me. During the whole class, he never relaxed his stiff position on the edge of his chair, sitting as far from me as possible. I could see his hand on his left leg was clenched into a fist, tendons standing out under his pale skin. This, too, he never relaxed. **

"Well it seems she smells extremely good then if your ready to attack" Emmett said "hey maybe she's your singer that would explains it" once Emmett had finished the Carlisle contemplated it

"you seem to be right Emmett Edward it appears you have found your singer but it is amazing that you are able to refrain from attacking especially considering how they are supposed to smell" Carlisle mused "but enough lets continue

**He had the long sleeves of his white shirt pushed up to his elbows, and his forearm was surprisingly hard and muscular beneath his light skin. He wasn't nearly as slight as he'd looked next to his burly brother**

"Doesn't everyone" laughed jasper and Edward

"Hump" was Emmett's only reply

**The class seemed to drag on longer than the others. Was it because the day was finally coming to a close, or because I was waiting for his tight fist to loosen? It never did; he continued to sit so still it looked like he wasn't breathing.**

"I doubt you are it dose help with the smell after all" Carlisle said

**What was wrong with him?**

**Was this his normal behavior? I questioned my judgment on Jessica's bitterness at lunch today. Maybe she was not as resentful as I'd thought.**

**It couldn't have anything to do with me. He didn't know me from Eve.**

"Yes its just your blood he has a problem with right Eddie boy" laughed Emmett

**I peeked up at him one more time, and regretted it. He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched away from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase if looks could kill suddenly ran through my mind.**

"poor Bella" Alice whispered and Rosalie and Esme nodded in agreement

"Edward you had better not be like that when Bella gats here or your piano and music collection will both suffer the consequences" Alice threatened

Edward gulped but still nodded in acceptance

**At that moment, the bell rang loudly, making me jump, and Edward Cullen was out of his seat. Fluidly he rose — he was much taller than I'd thought — his back to me, and he was out the door before anyone else was out of their seat.**

"Edward you idiot why were you walking so fast" Rosalie hissed

"Sorry but I don't want to kill the girl" Edward hissed back

"Stop or I wont be able to finish reading" Alice threatened and they both stopped hissing but continued to glare at each other

**I sat frozen in my seat, staring blankly after him. He was so mean. It wasn't fair. I began gathering up my things slowly, trying to block the anger that filled me, for fear my eyes would tear up. For some reason, my temper was hardwired to my tear ducts. I usually cried when I was angry, a humiliating tendency.**

**"Aren't you Isabella Swan?" a male voice asked.**

**I looked up to see a cute, baby-faced boy, his pale blond hair carefully gelled into orderly spikes, smiling at me in a friendly way. **

"Mike Newton" was all that was said till all the Cullen's but Esme and Carlisle were laughing so hard they nearly fell of there seats but still they were chuckling

"I fell kind of sorry for her having to put up with Mike" Rosalie said shocking everyone

But Alice who nodded in agreement

"Better watch out Eddie it looks like you have competition" Emmett said laughing

"What are you talking about" Edward said calmly

"you like the human" Emmett said slowly like it was the most obvious thing in the world which it was just not to him even Rosalie could see it and though she didn't like it if it made her family happy she could tough it out

"WHAT" Edward shouted but stopped as he looked at Esme and muttered "sorry" before continuing

"I have no idea what your talking about" Edward said but everyone else rolled there eyes and waited on Alice

**He obviously didn't think I smelled bad.**

They all laughed at that

**"Bella," I corrected him, with a smile.**

**"I'm Mike."**

"Ding, another winner" Emmett said as he and the other Cullen's gave a little laugh

**"Hi, Mike."**

**"Do you need any help finding your next class?"**

**"I'm headed to the gym, actually. I think I can find it."**

"Oh but he knows he just wants to walk her to class" Emmett said as he though a pointed glance at Edward who was frowning slightly-_told you so Emmett thought smugly_

"I have got to see her in action because it can't be that bad I mean she didn't fall all day" Emmett said with a sigh sounding disappointed

**"That's my next class, too." He seemed thrilled, though it wasn't that big of a coincidence in a school this small.**

**We walked to class together; he was a chatterer — he supplied most of the conversation, which made it easy for me. He'd lived in California till he was ten, so he knew how I felt about the sun. It turned out he was in my English class also. He was the nicest person I'd met today.**

At that everyone turned to Edward who had his head down in shame

**But as we were entering the gym, he asked, "So, did you stab Edward Cullen with a pencil or what? I've never seen him act like that."**

"Like that would hurt us though she should totally do it" Emmett said and him and the others laughed at the mental image all but Edward that is

**I cringed. So I wasn't the only one who had noticed. And, apparently, that wasn't Edward Cullen's usual behavior. I decided to play dumb.**

**"Was that the boy I sat next to in Biology?" I asked artlessly.**

**"Yes," he said. "He looked like he was in pain or something."**

**"I don't know," I responded. "I never spoke to him."**

**"He's a weird guy." **

"No doubt he is" Emmett said

"Uh Emmett your weirder than me" Edward said

"Am not"

"Are to"

"Am not

"Are too"

"Are"

"Boys stop it now" Esme said calmly and they sighed but gave up

**Mike lingered by me instead of heading to the dressing room. "If I were lucky enough to sit by you, I would have talked to you."**

"Huh looks like another annoyance to me if I were her" Laughed Rosalie

**I smiled at him before walking through the girls' locker room door. He was friendly and clearly admiring. But it wasn't enough to ease my irritation.**

**The Gym teacher, Coach Clapp, found me a uniform but didn't make me dress down for today's class. At home, only two years of RE. were required. Here, P.E. was mandatory all four years. Forks was literally my personal hell on Earth.**

Emmett howled with laughter at that

**I watched four volleyball games running simultaneously. Remembering how many injuries I had sustained — and inflicted — playing volleyball, I felt faintly nauseated.**

**The final bell rang at last. I walked slowly to the office to return my paperwork. The rain had drifted away, but the wind was strong, and colder. I wrapped my arms around myself.**

**When I walked into the warm office, I almost turned around and walked back out.**

**Edward Cullen stood at the desk in front of me.**

Everyone turned to Edward who just shrugged as clueless as everyone else

**I recognized again that tousled bronze hair. He didn't appear to notice the sound of my entrance. I stood pressed against the back wall, waiting for the receptionist to be free.**

**He was arguing with her in a low, attractive voice. I quickly picked up the gist of the argument. He was trying to trade from sixth-hour Biology to another time — any other time**

"Ah so your moving classes" Emmett said his voice serious " it must have been close if your taking that precaution"

**I just couldn't believe that this was about me. It had to be something else, something that happened before I entered the Biology room. The look on his face must have been about another aggravation entirely. It was impossible that this stranger could take such a sudden, intense dislike to me.**

**The door opened again, and the cold wind suddenly gusted through the room, rustling the papers on the desk, swirling my hair around my face. **

"Great" Edward moaned

**The girl who came in merely stepped to the desk, placed a note in the wire basket, and walked out again. But Edward Cullen's back stiffened, and he turned slowly to glare at me — his face was absurdly handsome — with piercing, hate-filled eyes. For an instant, I felt a thrill of genuine fear, raising the hair on my arms. The look only lasted a second, but it chilled me more than the freezing wind. **

"I hope you're a little bit better after this chapter Edward" Esme said

"I don't know I hope I am too" Edward sighed

**He turned back to the receptionist.**

**"Never mind, then," he said hastily in a voice like velvet. "I can see that it's impossible. Thank you so much for your help." And he turned on his heel without another look at me, and disappeared out the door.**

Edward looked down at that and sighed as he thought about how he was starting to like the girl after all

**I went meekly to the desk, my face white for once instead of red, and handed her the signed slip.**

**"How did your first day go, dear?" the receptionist asked maternally.**

**"Fine," I lied, my voice weak. She didn't look convinced.**

"Hmm she did say she was a bad lire I guess that was an understatement" Jasper said causing a slight smile to appear on Edwards face before disappearing again

**When I got to the truck, it was almost the last car in the lot. It seemed like a haven, already the closest thing to home I had in this damp green hole. I sat inside for a while, just staring out the windshield blankly. But soon I was cold enough to need the heater, so I turned the key and the engine roared to life. I headed back to Charlie's house, fighting tears the whole way there.**

"You made the poor girl cry" Esme scolded and Edward sighed.

"That's the end" Alice said

"I'll read next" Esme said taking the book.

* * *

**Hey this is the End of chapter on sorry it took so long I have unfortunately been doing school work and had to wait ill try to past more often **

**LOVE you all from BELLA- 30**


	4. start to Open Book Part 1

**Disclaimer - I do not own Twilight or this plot**

* * *

**Open Book**

**The next day was better… and worse.**

"I wonder why it could be worse" commented Carlisle

"Well lets read and see" Esme said

**It was better because it wasn't raining yet, though the clouds were dense and opaque. It was easier because I knew what to expect of my day. Mike came to sit by me in English, and walked me to my next class, with Chess Club Eric glaring at him all the while; that was nattering.**

"Ha that must suck having those two fighting over you" Rosalie said showing a little sympathy for the girl

**People didn't look at me quite as much as they had yesterday. I sat with a big group at lunch that included Mike, Eric, Jessica, and several other people whose names and faces I now remembered. I began to feel like I was treading water, instead of drowning in it.**

**It was worse because I was tired; I still couldn't sleep with the wind echoing around the house. It was worse because Mr. Varner called on me in Trig when my hand wasn't raised and I had the wrong answer.**

"He dose it on purpose to" Edward said with a small smile "to bad he has never caught one of use UN prepared"

At that all the Cullen's kids smiled too

**It was miserable because I had to play volleyball, and the one time I didn't cringe out of the way of the ball, I hit my teammate in the head with it.**

"ok I am so changing to her PE class" Emmett said while laughing

**And it was worse because Edward Cullen wasn't in school at all.**

At that Esme turned to look at her son with worry in her eyes _do you think you'll leave Edward_

"If it means not killing her probably" Edward said his voice soft

**All morning I was dreading lunch, fearing his bizarre glares. Part of me wanted to confront him and demand to know what his problem was. While I was lying sleepless in my bed, I even imagined what I would say. But I knew myself too well to think I would really have the guts to do it. I made the Cowardly Lion look like the terminator.**

**But when I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica — trying to keep my eyes from sweeping the place for him, and failing entirely — I saw that his four siblings of sorts were sitting together at the same table, and he was not with them.**

**Mike intercepted us and steered us to his table. Jessica seemed elated by the attention, **

At that Emmett laughed and that ended up braking the solemn mood from Edwards earlier words

**and her friends quickly joined us. But as I tried to listen to their easy chatter, I was terribly uncomfortable, waiting nervously for the moment he would arrive. I hoped that he would simply ignore me when he came, and prove my suspicions false.**

**He didn't come, and as time passed I grew more and more tense.**

"it seems she has it pretty bad for you aye Edward" Emmett said causing the other Cullen's to laugh

"I don't need another admirer thank you Em" Edward said through gritted teeth

**I walked to Biology with more confidence when, by the end of lunch, he still hadn't showed. Mike, who was taking on the qualities of a golden retriever, walked faithfully by my side to class. **

"I can so see that" Emmett said while laughing hysterically

**I held my breath at the door, but Edward Cullen wasn't there, either. I exhaled and went to my seat. Mike followed, talking about an upcoming trip to the beach.**

**He lingered by my desk till the bell rang. Then he smiled at me wistfully and went to sit by a girl with braces and a bad perm. It looked like I was going to have to do something about Mike, and it wouldn't be easy. In a town like this, where everyone lived on top of everyone else, diplomacy was essential. I had never been enormously tactful; I had no practice dealing with overly friendly boys.**

**I was relieved that I had the desk to myself, that Edward was absent. I told myself that repeatedly. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicion that I was the reason he wasn't there. It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly. It was impossible. And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true.**

"Poor girl" Esme and Rosalie said sympathetically.

**When the school day was finally done, and the blush was fading out of my cheeks from the volleyball incident, I changed quickly back into my jeans and navy blue sweater. I hurried from the girls' locker room, pleased to find that I had successfully evaded my retriever friend for the moment. I walked swiftly out to the parking lot. It was crowded now with fleeing students. I got in my truck and dug through my bag to make sure I had what I needed.**

**Last night I'd discovered that Charlie couldn't cook much besides fried eggs and bacon.**

**So I requested that I be assigned kitchen detail for the duration of my stay. **

"oh come on that stuff is grosses how can she eat it" Emmett said while making a face and the other Cullen's nodded in agreement

**He was willing enough to hand over the keys to the banquet hall. I also found out that he had no food in the house. So I had my shopping list and the cash from the jar in the cupboard labeled FOOD MONEY, and I was on my way to the Thriftway.**

**I gunned my deafening engine to life, ignoring the heads that turned in my direction, and backed carefully into a place in the line of cars that were waiting to exit the parking lot. As I waited, trying to pretend that the earsplitting rumble was coming from someone else's car, I saw the two Cullens and the Hale twins getting into their car. It was the shiny new Volvo. Of course. I hadn't noticed their clothes before — **

At that Alice shrieked "how can you not notice clothes"

"Alice honey not everyone is attune to fashion as you are" Jasper said calmly "besides you can always teach her about clothes" he added as a fleeting thought

But his comment mad Alice hyper again "your right jazz and that means I can take her shopping" Alice said with a bright smile on her face

**I'd been too mesmerized by their faces. Now that I looked, it was obvious that they were all dressed exceptionally well; simply, but in clothes that subtly hinted at designer origins. With their remarkable good looks, the style with which they carried themselves, they could have worn dishrags and pulled it off. It seemed excessive for them to have both looks and money. **

**But as far as I could tell, life worked that way most of the time. It didn't look as if it bought them any acceptance here.**

**No, I didn't fully believe that. The isolation must be their desire; I couldn't imagine any door that wouldn't be opened by that degree of beauty.**

"that is true" Alice commented

**They looked at my noisy truck as I passed them, just like everyone else**

"I don't think it was the truck we were looking at, but at her seeing as she drove away are brother" Rosalie said

**I kept my eyes straight forward and was relieved when I finally was free of the school grounds.**

**The Thriftway was not far from the school, just a few streets south, off the highway. It was nice to be inside the supermarket; it felt normal. I did the shopping at home, and I fell into the pattern of the familiar task gladly. The store was big enough inside that I couldn't hear the tapping of the rain on the roof to remind me where I was.**

**When I got home, I unloaded all the groceries, stuffing them in wherever I could find an open space. I hoped Charlie wouldn't mind. I wrapped potatoes in foil and stuck them in the oven to bake, covered a steak in marinade and balanced it on top of a carton of eggs in the fridge.**

**When I was finished with that, I took my book bag upstairs. Before starting my homework, I changed into a pair of dry sweats, pulled my damp hair up into a pony-tail, and checked my e-mail for the first time. I had three messages.**

"If it were one of you kids those messages would come from me" Esme said with a small sad smile

**Bella," my mom wrote…**

**Write me as soon as you get in. Tell me how your flight was. Is it raining? I miss you already. I'm almost finished packing for Florida, but I can't find my pink blouse. Do you know where I put it? Phil says hi. -Mom.**

**I sighed and went to the next. It was sent eight hours after the first.**

**"Bella," she wrote…**

**Why haven't you e-mailed me yet? **

**What are you waiting for? Mom.**

**The last was from this morning.**

"See just like I said her mother" Esme said still smiling her sad smile

**Isabella,**

**If I haven't heard from you by 5:30 pm today I'm calling Charlie. **

**I checked the clock. I still had an hour, but my mom was well known for jumping the gun.**

**Mom,**

**Calm down. I'm writing right now. **

"well technically its typing" Edward said causing Emmett to groaned "dude what's the difference" and before he could answer Emmett said "no don't bother I wont listen any way"

**Don't do anything rash.**

**Bella.**

**I sent that, and began again.**

**Mom,**

**Everything is great. Of course it's raining. I was waiting for something to write about.**

**School isn't bad, just a little repetitive. I met some nice kids who sit by me at lunch. Your blouse is at the dry cleaners - you were supposed to pick it up Friday. Charlie bought me a truck, can you believe it? I love it. It's old, but really sturdy, which is good, you know, for me.**

At that the Cullen's laughed

**I miss you, too. I'll write again soon, but I'm not going to check my e-mail every five minutes. Relax, breathe. I love you.**

**Bella.**

**I had decided to read Wuthering Heights — the novel we were currently studying in English **

"God I hate that book" Edward said with a grimace

**yet again for the fun of it, **

"She obviously doesn't agree there Eddie" Emmett said and laughed

**and that's what I was doing when Charlie came home. I'd lost track of the time, and I hurried downstairs to take the potatoes out and put the steak in to broil.**

**"Bella?" my father called out when he heard me on the stairs.**

**Who else? I thought to myself**

"Lets see it could be many a thing like maybe a vampire" Emmett said with a laugh while the others shared an apprehensive glance

**Hey dad, welcome home."**

**"Thanks." He hung up his gun belt and stepped out of his boots as I bustled about the kitchen. As far as I was aware, he'd never shot the gun on the job. But he kept it ready.**

**When I came here as a child, he would always remove the bullets as soon as he walked in the door. I guess he considered me old enough now not to shoot myself by accident, and not depressed enough to shoot myself on purpose.**

"That is awful I hope it never will come to that" Esme said her tone laced with sadness

**"What's for dinner?" he asked warily. **

"Grizzle bear" Emmett said with a smile as the others shook there heads

**My mother was an imaginative cook, and her experiments weren't always edible. I was surprised, and sad, that he seemed to remember that far back.**

**"Steak and potatoes," I answered, and he looked relieved.**

**He seemed to feel awkward standing in the kitchen doing nothing; he lumbered into the living room to watch TV while I worked. We were both more comfortable that way. I made a salad while the steaks cooked, and set the table.**

**I called him in when dinner was ready, and he sniffed appreciatively as he walked into the room.**

**"Smells good, Bell."**

**"Thanks."**

**We ate in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't uncomfortable. Neither of us was bothered by the quiet. In some ways, we were well suited for living together.**

**"So, how did you like school? Have you made any friends?" he asked as he was taking seconds.**

**"Well, I have a few classes with a girl named Jessica. I sit with her friends at lunch. And there's this boy, Mike, who's very friendly. Everybody seems pretty nice." With one outstanding exception.**

"aww she's thinking about you again Eddie" Emmett said while his brother groaned

**"That must be Mike Newton. Nice kid — nice family. His dad owns the sporting goods store just outside of town. He makes a good living off all the backpackers who come through here."**

"But mostly us" Alice said with a smile

**Do you know the Cullen family?" I asked hesitantly.**

**"Dr. Cullen's family? Sure. Dr. Cullen's a great man."**

"He truly is" Esme said with a warm smile as she looked at her husband

**They… the kids… are a little different. They don't seem to fit in very well at school." **

**Charlie surprised me by looking angry.**

**"People in this town," he muttered. "Dr. Cullen is a brilliant surgeon who could probably work in any hospital in the world, make ten times the salary he gets here," he continued, getting louder. "We're lucky to have him — lucky that his wife wanted to live in a small town. He's an asset to the community, and all of those kids are well behaved and polite. I had my doubts, when they first moved in, with all those adopted teenagers. I thought we might have some problems with them. But they're all very mature — I haven't had one speck of trouble from any of them. That's more than I can say for the children of some folks who have lived in this town for generations. And they stick together the way a family should — camping trips every other weekend… Just because they're newcomers, people have to talk."**

"Wow I never knew he thought about us like that" Jasper said seeing as the family was stunned into silence

**It was the longest speech I'd ever heard Charlie make. He must feel strongly about whatever people were saying.**

**I backpedaled. "They seemed nice enough to me. I just noticed they kept to themselves. They're all very attractive," I added, trying to be more complimentary.**

**"You should see the doctor," Charlie said, laughing. "It's a good thing he's happily married. A lot of the nurses at the hospital have a hard time concentrating on their work with him around."**

"Oh I never noticed before maybe I look out for that" Carlisle said

"You might not have but I have and it's not pretty" Edward said with a grimace setting Jasper and Emmett of into a round of laughter

**We lapsed back into silence as we finished eating. He cleared the table while I started on the dishes. He went back to the TV, and after I finished washing the dishes by hand — no dishwasher — I went upstairs unwillingly to work on my math homework. I could feel a tradition in the making.**

"And how sad that is" Rosalie said

**That night it was finally quiet. I fell asleep quickly, exhausted.**

**The rest of the week was uneventful. I got used to the routine of my classes. By Friday I was able to recognize, if not name, almost all the students at school. In Gym, the kids on my team learned not to pass me the ball and to step quickly in front of me if the other team tried to take advantage of my weakness. I happily stayed out of their way.**

**Edward Cullen didn't come back to school.**

**Every day, I watched anxiously until the rest of the Cullen's entered the cafeteria without him. Then I could relax and join in the lunchtime conversation. Mostly it centered around a trip to the La Push Ocean Park in two weeks that Mike was putting together. I was invited, and I had agreed to go, more out of politeness than desire.**

**Beaches should be hot and dry.**

**By Friday I was perfectly comfortable entering my Biology class, no longer worried that Edward would be there. For all I knew, he had dropped out of school. I tried not to think about him, but I couldn't totally suppress the worry that I was responsible for his continued absence, ridiculous as it seemed.**

**My first weekend in Forks passed without incident. Charlie, unused to spending time in the usually empty house, worked most of the weekend. I cleaned the house, got ahead on my homework, and wrote my mom more bogusly cheerful e-mail. I did drive to the library Saturday,**

"huh good luck finding any there" Edward said with a full out grimce

**but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore. I wondered idly what kind of gas mileage the truck got… and shuddered at the thought.**

**The rain stayed soft over the weekend, quiet, so I was able to sleep well.**

**People greeted me in the parking lot Monday morning. I didn't know all their names, but I waved back and smiled at everyone. It was colder this morning, but happily not raining. In English, Mike took his accustomed seat by my side. We had a pop quiz on Wuthering Heights. It was straightforward, very easy.**

**All in all, I was feeling a lot more comfortable than I had thought I would feel by this point. More comfortable than I had ever expected to feel here.**

**When we walked out of class, the air was full of swirling bits of white. **

"awesome snow" Emmett said excitedly

**I could hear people shouting excitedly to each other. The wind bit at my cheeks, my nose.**

**"Wow," Mike said. "It's snowing."**

**I looked at the little cotton fluffs that were building up along the sidewalk and swirling erratically past my face.**

**"Ew." Snow. There went my good day.**

"Wh..Wh…. HOW CAN SHE NOT LIKE SNOW" Emmett shouted

"She really is an odd human isn't she" Jasper said

"That she is" Edward agreed

**He looked surprised. "Don't you like snow?"**

**"No. That means it's too cold for rain." Obviously. "Besides, I thought it was supposed to come down in flakes — you know, each one unique and all that. These just look like the ends of Q-tips."**

**"Haven't you ever seen snow fall before?" he asked incredulously.**

**"Sure I have." I paused." On TV."**

That caused all the Cullen's to laugh

**Mike laughed. And then a big, squishy ball of dripping snow smacked into the back of his head. We both turned to see where it came from. I had my suspicions about Eric, who was walking away, his back toward us — in the wrong direction for his next class. **

"Well that's smart" Jasper said sarcastically

**Mike apparently had the same notion. He bent over and began scraping together a pile of the white mush.**

**"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" I kept walking as I spoke. "Once people start throwing wet stuff, I go inside."**

**He just nodded, his eyes on Eric's retreating figure.**

**Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the new year. I kept my mouth shut. Sure, it was drier than rain — until it melted in your socks.**

**I walked alertly to the cafeteria with Jessica after Spanish. Mush balls were flying everywhere. I kept a binder in my hands, ready to use it as a shield if necessary. **

**Jessica thought I was hilarious, but something in my expression kept her from lobbing a snowball at me herself.**

"I am really going to like this girl" Emmett said laughing

**Mike caught up to us as we walked in the doors, laughing, with ice melting the spikes in his hair. He and Jessica were talking animatedly about the snow fight as we got in line to buy food. I glanced toward that table in the corner out of habit. And then I froze where I stood. There were five people at the table.**

"You back" Esme said in pure delight

**Jessica pulled on my arm.**

**"Hello? Bella? What do you want?"**

**I looked down; my ears were hot. I had no reason to feel self-conscious, I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything wrong.**

**"What's with Bella?" Mike asked Jessica.**

"I wonder if she's sick" Edward said worried

**"Nothing," I answered. "I'll just get a soda today." I caught up to the end of the line.**

**"Aren't you hungry?" Jessica asked.**

**"Actually, I feel a little sick," I said, my eyes still on the floor.**

_**Ok so there it is sorry it took so long my comp is acting up but please Read and Review so I know to continue or not**_

_**LOVE **_

_**BELLA- 30**_


	5. finish to Open Book Part 2

"Nice Ed you make her sick" Emmett said laughing

His only answer was a growl

**I waited for them to get their food, and then followed them to a table, my eyes on my feet.**

**I sipped my soda slowly, my stomach churning. Twice Mike asked, with unnecessary concern, how I was feeling.**

**I told him it was nothing, but I was wondering if I should play it up and escape to the nurse's office for the next hour.**

**Ridiculous. I shouldn't have to run away.**

"Hmm buts that what Edward did" Emmett said with a chuckle but stopped as he looked at Esme and her scowl

**I decided to permit myself one glance at the Cullen family's table. If he was glaring at me, I would skip Biology, like the coward I was.**

**I kept my head down and glanced up under my lashes. None of them were looking this way. I lifted my head a little.**

**They were laughing. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett all had their hair entirely saturated with melting snow. Alice and Rosalie were leaning away as Emmett shook his dripping hair toward them. They were enjoying the snowy day, just like everyone else — only they looked more like a scene from a movie than the rest of us.**

"I guess that would be all you Shorty" Emmett said with a smile

"I must have known she was watching" Alice said with a sigh

**But, aside from the laughter and playfulness, there was something different, and I couldn't quite pinpoint what that difference was. I examined Edward the most carefully.**

**His skin was less pale, I decided — flushed from the snow fight maybe — **

"Or extended hunting is more like it" Edward sighed and received a sympathetic look from Alice _you like her I can tell_ Alice thought as she looked at her brother

She only received a glare as her reply

**the circles under his eyes much less noticeable. But there was something more. I pondered, staring, trying to isolate the change.**

**"Bella, what are you staring at?" Jessica intruded, her eyes following my stare.**

**At that precise moment, his eyes flashed over to meet mine.**

"No doubt that was Jessica's doing" Edward said his annoyance clear on his face

"Oh don't worry bro at lest she isn't following you around like a puppy again" Emmett said laughing hard at his brothers discussed face

"oh I wouldn't be laughing if I was you Emmett because she seems to have a thing for you now and not me apparently she thinks she can lure you away from Rose by her stunning good looks" Edward said as he and his siblings laughed at Emmett's horrified face but as Alice and Jasper caught Rosalie's death glare they stopped laughing but Edward only continued to chuckle ignoring his sister

**I dropped my head, letting my hair fall to conceal my face. I was sure, though, in the instant our eyes met, that he didn't look harsh or unfriendly as he had the last time I'd seen him. He looked merely curious again, unsatisfied in some way.**

**"Edward Cullen is staring at you," Jessica giggled in my ear.**

**"He doesn't look angry, does he?" I couldn't help asking.**

**"No," she said, sounding confused by my question. "Should he be?"**

**"I don't think he likes me," I confided. I still felt queasy. I put my head down on my arm.**

"Oh no he dose he's just shy" Emmett said regaining his good humor much to Edwards's annoyance

"not funny Emmett you know I have no feelings for this human girl" but Even as he said it he knew it was a lie even with out meeting the girl he seemed to be intrigued by her

_Edward you me and maybe Alice no that's a lie but I am happy for you _jasper thought

Edward looked over to his brother and gave a half hearted smile and a small nod of acknowledgement

**I dropped my head, letting my hair fall to conceal my face. I was sure, though, in the instant our eyes met, that he didn't look harsh or unfriendly as he had the last time I'd seen him. He looked merely curious again, unsatisfied in some way.**

**"The Cullens don't like anybody…well, they don't notice anybody enough to like them. But he's still staring at you."**

**"Stop looking at him," I hissed.**

**She snickered, but she looked away. I raised my head enough to make sure that she did, contemplating violence if she resisted.**

"Oh man I would love to see that" Emmett said laughing and smiling like a kid on Christmas day while everyone else chuckled "that would be rather amusing wouldn't it" Jasper said his voice laced with humor

**Mike interrupted us then — he was planning an epic battle of the blizzard in the parking lot after school and wanted us to join. Jessica agreed enthusiastically. The way she looked at Mike left little doubt that she would be up for anything he suggested. I kept silent. I would have to hide in the gym until the parking lot cleared.**

**For the rest of the lunch hour I very carefully kept my eyes at my own table. I decided to honor the bargain I'd made with myself. Since he didn't look angry, I would go to Biology. My stomach did frightened little flips at the thought of sitting next to him again. **

**I didn't really want to walk to class with Mike as usual — he seemed to be a popular target for the snowball snipers — but when we went to the door, everyone besides me groaned in unison. **

"Awe the snow melted" Emmett said pouting

"Em you do know this hasn't even happened yet so the snow hasn't even come yet" Alice said trying to console her brother which it did because now he was smiling fondly

"Your right and when it comes we can have a snow ball fight" Emmett's smile increased ten fold at the thought

**It was raining, washing all traces of the snow away in clear, icy ribbons down the side of the walkway. I pulled my hood up, secretly pleased. I would be free to go straight home after Gym.**

**Mike kept up a string of complaints on the way to building four.**

**Once inside the classroom, I saw with relief that my table was still empty. Mr. Banner was walking around the room, distributing one microscope and box of slides to each table. Class didn't start for a few minutes, and the room buzzed with conversation. I kept my eyes away from the door, doodling idly on the cover of my notebook.**

**I heard very clearly when the chair next to me moved, **

"Its good to see you trying to make her feel more relaxed son" Carlisle said smiling at Edward

"Yes but the question is why would I even try" Edward said thinking aloud

"Only one way to find out is to read" Emmett said seriously

**but my eyes stayed carefully focused on the pattern I was drawing.**

**"Hello," said a quiet, musical voice.**

"Ok I don't get it why are you talking to her" Emmett said looking confused

"Emmett I have no idea why I do any of the things I do in this book so why would I now" Edward said annoyed

**I looked up, stunned that he was speaking to me.**

**He was sitting as far away from me as the desk allowed, but his chair was angled toward me. His hair was dripping wet, disheveled — even so, he looked like he'd just finished shooting a commercial for hair gel. His dazzling face was friendly, open, a slight smile on his flawless lips. But his eyes were careful.**

"Hmm this could be bad she has noticed so much in such little time" Carlisle said

"yes I agree Carlisle in those three seconds she noted not only the aspects and bottled up expression your trying to hide' Jasper said looking directly at his brother

**"My name is Edward Cullen," he continued. "I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week. You must be Bella Swan."**

"Much better Edward" Esme said provokingly as she gave her son a little smile

**My mind was spinning with confusion. Had I made up the whole thing? He was perfectly polite now. I had to speak; he was waiting. But I couldn't think of anything conventional to say.**

**"H-how do you know my name?" I stammered.**

**He laughed a soft, enchanting laugh.**

**"Oh, I think everyone knows your name. The whole town's been waiting for you to arrive."**

At that everyone chuckled

"How do you think shell like that" Emmett said with a broad smile on his face

"I doubt shell like it much" Rosalie said surprising everyone

**I grimaced. I knew it was something like that.**

"Told you so" She said as she gazed at her nails

**"No," I persisted stupidly. "I meant, why did you call me Bella?"**

**He seemed confused. "Do you prefer Isabella?"**

**"No, I like Bella," I said. "But I think Charlie — I mean my dad — must call me Isabella behind my back — that's what everyone here seems to know me as," I tried to explain, feeling like an utter moron.**

**"Oh." He let it drop. I looked away awkwardly.**

"What was up with that Ed" Emmett said seriously

"Emmett I said before my behavior is off in this book and I don't know the reason behind my actions" Edward said with a sigh "though I wish I did"

**Thankfully, Mr. Banner started class at that moment. I tried to concentrate as he explained the lab we would be doing today. The slides in the box were out of order. Working as lab partners, we had to separate the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they represented and label them accordingly. We weren't supposed to use our books. In twenty minutes, he would be coming around to see who had it right.**

"Why do I get the feeling she wont let you do all the work" Jasper said with a smirk

"Because she's stubborn" Edward said with a sigh

That comment caused everyone to chuckle

**"Get started," he commanded.**

**"Ladies first, partner?" Edward asked. I looked up to see him smiling a crooked smile so beautiful that I could only stare at him like an idiot.**

**"Or I could start, if you wish." The smile faded; he was obviously wondering if I was mentally competent**

At that Emmett snorted "please everyone is compared to are kind"

"Emmett" Esme scolded

"Yeah Em it's not good to talk to books" Edward said smirking

"Edward your no better so wipe that smirk of your face" Alice said causing her Jasper and Rosalie to laugh

**"No," I said, flushing. "I'll go ahead."**

**I was showing off, just a little. I'd already done this lab, and I knew what I was looking for. **

"See told you she would want to help" Jasper said with a laugh "though I am sure you don't need it"

**It should be easy. I snapped the first slide into place under the microscope and adjusted it quickly to the 40X objective. I studied the slide briefly.**

**My assessment was confident." Prophase."**

**"Do you mind if I look?" he asked as I began to remove the slide. His hand caught mine, to stop me, as he asked. His fingers were ice-cold, like he'd been holding them in a snowdrift before class. **

"Edward" Rosalie hissed

"What it hasn't happened yet" Edward said defending himself

**But that wasn't why I jerked my hand away so quickly. When he touched me, it stung my hand as if an electric current had passed through us.**

"Huh" Carlisle sighed

"What is it Carlisle" Edward said worry lacing his tone

"It's just why would she feel electricity from your touch and I was wondering if you could have felt it too" Carlisle said finishing his musing

**"I'm sorry," he muttered, pulling his hand back immediately. However, he continued to reach for the microscope. I watched him, still staggered, as he examined the slide for an even shorter time than I had.**

**"Prophase," he agreed, writing it neatly in the first space on our worksheet. He swiftly switched out the first slide for the second, and then glanced at it cursorily.**

**"Anaphase," he murmured, writing it down as he spoke.**

**I kept my voice indifferent. "May I?"**

"Huh girls got guts but there is no doubt that the know it all is right" Emmett said pouting

**He smirked and pushed the microscope to me.**

**I looked through the eyepiece eagerly, only to be disappointed. Dang it, he was right.**

At that Emmett sighed "see I told you so"

**"Slide three?" I held out my hand without looking at him.**

**He handed it to me; it seemed like he was being careful not to touch my skin again.**

"that most likely means I did feel it" Edward said with an annoyed sigh

**I took the most fleeting look I could manage.**

**"Interphase." I passed him the microscope before he could ask for it. He took a swift peek, and then wrote it down. I would have written it while he looked, but his clear, elegant script intimidated me. I didn't want to spoil the page with my clumsy scrawl.**

**We were finished before anyone else was close. I could see Mike and his partner comparing two slides again and again, and another group had their book open under the table.**

**Which left me with nothing to do but try to not look at him… unsuccessfully. I glanced up, and he was staring at me, that same inexplicable look of frustration in his eyes.**

"hey do you think its possible this girl is immune to your power Ed" Emmett said smiling like the cat that caought the cannery

"That seems plausibly I guess" Edward said as he sighed in annoyance "that would just be my luck to"

**Suddenly I identified that subtle difference in his face.**

**"Did you get contacts?" I blurted out unthinkingly.**

"This is not good she seems to pay much more attention to us than I thought we may have to move" Carlisle said worry in his voice

**He seemed puzzled by my unexpected question.**

"Ok now I don't think you cant hear her that rocks" Emmett said boastfully

**"No."**

"You fool if you had said yes she would have dropped it" Rosalie hissed through her teeth

**"Oh," I mumbled. "I thought there was something different about your eyes."**

**He shrugged, and looked away.**

**In fact, I was sure there was something different. I vividly remembered the flat black color of his eyes the last time he'd glared at me — the color was striking against the background of his pale skin and his auburn hair. Today, his eyes were a completely different color: a strange ocher, darker than butterscotch, but with the same golden tone. I didn't understand how that could be, unless he was lying for some reason about the contacts. Or maybe Forks was making me crazy in the literal sense of the word.**

"Poor girl" Esme sighed while the other Cullen's excluding Carlisle gave a chuckle

**I looked down. His hands were clenched into hard fists again.**

**Mr. Banner came to our table then, to see why we weren't working. He looked over our shoulders to glance at the completed lab, and then stared more intently to check the answers.**

**"So, Edward, didn't you think Isabella should get a chance with the microscope?" Mr. Banner asked.**

"That's not fair he should not be making assumptions of her with out even knowing her" Edward growled

"Wow bro it dose seam like the most likely course of events though doesn't it" Jasper said trying to calm his brother

"Your right" Edward sighed "sorry"

**"Bella," Edward corrected automatically. "Actually, she identified three of the five."**

**Mr. Banner looked at me now; his expression was skeptical.**

**"Have you done this lab before?" he asked.**

**I smiled sheepishly. "Not with onion root."**

**"Whitefish blastula?"**

**"Yeah."**

**Mr. Banner nodded. "Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix ?"**

**"Yes."**

"I can see that she seems very bright and attentive" Carlisle said with a sigh "but it may be best to keep on your toes seeing how attentive she is"

"yeah I have a feeling that if any human were to find out about us it would be her just buy what we have read" Edward said with an annoyed sigh

**"Well," he said after a moment, "I guess it's good you two are lab partners." He mumbled something else as he walked away. After he left, I began doodling on my notebook again.**

**"It's too bad about the snow, isn't it?" Edward asked. **

"Wow bro original much" Emmett said laughing as his brother glared at his brother

**I had the feeling that he was forcing himself to make small talk with me. Paranoia swept over me again. It was like he had heard my conversation with Jessica at lunch and was trying to prove me wrong.**

"Why do you think you would feel the need to do that" Rosalie said anger in her tone

"Like I said to Emmett I have no idea so unless we read we won't find out" Edward said sighing in annoyance

"Fine" she huffed

**Not really," I answered honestly, instead of pretending to be normal like everyone else.**

**I was still trying to dislodge the stupid feeling of suspicion, and I couldn't concentrate.**

**"You don't like the cold." It wasn't a question.**

**"Or the wet."**

**"Forks must be a difficult place for you to live," he mused.**

**"You have no idea," I muttered darkly.**

**He looked fascinated by what I said, for some reason I couldn't imagine. **

"No way she fascinates you do you think you could be falling for her man" Emmett said entirely serious "I mean if she were a vampire and not human would you take her as a mate"

"I don't know from what we have read about her I would probable consider it but I don't have a defining answer so can we continue" Edward said impatiently as he watched his families shocked faces but they continued non the less

**His face was such a distraction that I tried not to look at it any more than courtesy absolutely demanded.**

**"Why did you come here, then?"**

"I have actually been wondering that my self" Jasper said curiosity lacing his tone

**No one had asked me that — not straight out like he did, demanding.**

**"It's… complicated."**

**"I think I can keep up," he pressed.**

**I paused for a long moment, and then made the mistake of meeting his gaze. His dark gold eyes confused me, and I answered without thinking.**

**"My mother got remarried," I said.**

**"That doesn't sound so complex," he disagreed, but he was suddenly sympathetic.**

**"When did that happen?"**

**"Last September." My voice sounded sad, even to me.**

**"And you don't like him," Edward surmised, his tone still kind.**

**"No, Phil is fine. Too young, maybe, but nice enough."**

**"Why didn't you stay with them?"**

**I couldn't fathom his interest, but he continued to stare at me with penetrating eyes, as if my dull life's story was somehow vitally important.**

**"Phil travels a lot. He plays ball for a living." I half-smiled.**

"Sweet I would love that job" Emmett said grinning "though it would be boring at a human pace but still it would be an awesome job"

"I wonder who this Phil is and if we have heard of him" Edward said a small smile gracing his lips at his thoughts of base ball

**"Have I heard of him?" he asked, smiling in response.**

**"Probably not. He doesn't play well. Strictly minor league. He moves around a lot."**

**"And your mother sent you here so that she could travel with him." He said it as an assumption again, not a question.**

"Edward you should probably stop making any presumptions cant you just read her" Jasper said

"I don't think I can" Edward said looking extremely annoyed at that fact "well at least it explains my behavior towards her"

"I have to agree with you Edward from how you have acted it's a likely possibility that you cant hear her but it is odd as to be able to do" Carlisle said sighing " I wish I could talk to her and find out about it from her point of view"

**My chin raised a fraction." No, she did not send me here. I sent myself."**

"She's stubborn maybe as stubborn as you Ed" Emmett said laughing "wonder who will win this argument"

**His eyebrows knit together. "I don't understand," he admitted, and he seemed unnecessarily frustrated by that fact.**

"Huh I like this girl more now than ever for leaving you stumped Eddie" Emmett said laughing as Edward glared t the book

**I sighed. Why was I explaining this to him? He continued to stare at me with obvious curiosity.**

**"She stayed with me at first, but she missed him. It made her unhappy… so I decided it was time to spend some quality time with Charlie." My voice was glum by the time I finished.**

**"But now you're unhappy," he pointed out.**

**"And?" I challenged.**

**"That doesn't seem fair." He shrugged, but his eyes were still intense.**

**I laughed without humor. "Hasn't anyone ever told you? Life isn't fair."**

"Actually I have heard that some where before" Edward said as a sigh escaped his lips

**"I believe I have heard that somewhere before," he agreed dryly.**

"You know that's annoying having to listen to the same comment twice" Emmett said while Edward only smirked at his brother

**"So that's all," I insisted, wondering why he was still staring at me that way.**

**His gaze became appraising. "You put on a good show," he said slowly. "But I'd be willing to bet that you're suffering more than you let anyone see."**

**I grimaced at him, resisting the impulse to stick out my tongue like a five-year-old, and looked away.**

"No do it" Emmett said encouragingly towards the book

"Emmett it's a book it can't hear you" Alice said laughing "or did you forget it the lat time we told you"

**"Am I wrong?"**

**I tried to ignore him.**

**"I didn't think so," he murmured smugly.**

**"Why does it matter to you?" I asked, irritated. **

**I kept my eyes away, watching the teacher make his rounds.**

**"That's a very good question," he muttered, so quietly that I wondered if he was talking to himself. However, after a few seconds of silence, I decided that was the only answer I was going to get.**

**I sighed, scowling at the blackboard.**

**"Am I annoying you?" he asked. He sounded amused.**

"Most definitely" Emmett said dryly receiving a hit on the head from Rosalie

**I glanced at him without thinking… and told the truth again. "Not exactly. I'm more annoyed at myself. My face is so easy to read — my mother always calls me her open book." I frowned.**

**"On the contrary, I find you very difficult to read." Despite everything that I'd said and he'd guessed, he sounded like he meant it.**

"Huh I don't get it" Emmett said cocking his head to the side

"I think he just admitted that you couldn't read her mind" Alice said perplexed

"No way Eddie admitting he cant do something" Emmett said mock shock

"Shut it Emmett" Edward warned through his gritted teeth

**"You must be a good reader then," I replied.**

**"Usually." He smiled widely, flashing a set of perfect, ultrawhite teeth.**

"What are you doing Edward" Jasper asked only curiosity in his thoughts and tone

"I think I am giving her a warning to stay away from me but I doubt it will work on her" Edward said with a exhausted sigh

**Mr. Banner called the class to order then, and I turned with relief to listen. I was in disbelief that I'd just explained my dreary life to this bizarre, beautiful boy who may or may not despise me. He'd seemed engrossed in our conversation, but now I could see, from the corner of my eye, that he was leaning away from me again, his hands gripping the edge of the table with unmistakable tension.**

**I tried to appear attentive as Mr. Banner illustrated, with transparencies on the overhead projector, what I had seen without difficulty through the microscope. But my thoughts were unmanageable.**

**When the bell finally rang, Edward rushed as swiftly and as gracefully from the room as he had last Monday. And, like last Monday, I stared after him in amazement.**

"What is with you and Alice and walking so fast" Rosalie muttered

"That's not the question to ask the one to ask is why she is paying so much attention to us" Jasper said a with a worried glance at the other books "by the looks of it shell be around for a while"

**Mike skipped quickly to my side and picked up my books for me. I imagined him with a wagging tail.**  
The thought of Mike with a tail set all the Cullen's off into a fit of laughter

"Ok ill admit that was grate" Emmett said wiping imaginary tears away from his eyes

**"That was awful," he groaned. "They all looked exactly the same. You're lucky you had Cullen for a partner."**

**"I didn't have any trouble with it," I said, stung by his assumption. **

"She really hates to be treated as anything other than an equal" Jasper said "it's refreshing from a lot of the girls around to day who only want to be dotted on"

**I regretted the snub instantly. "I've done the lab before, though," I added before he could get his feelings hurt.**

"What a sweet girl" Esme said approvingly towards Edward who ducked his head in embarrassment

"Stop it Jasper" He hissed

"What me" Jasper said faked Innocence but the mischievous glint in his eyes gave him away

"Stop boys" Esme said sternly

"Sorry mom" they both muttered

**"Cullen seemed friendly enough today," he commented as we shrugged into our raincoats. He didn't seem pleased about it. **

**I tried to sound indifferent. "I wonder what was with him last Monday."**

**I couldn't concentrate on Mike's chatter as we walked to Gym, and RE. didn't do much to hold my attention, either. Mike was on my team today. He chivalrously covered my position as well as his own, so my woolgathering was only interrupted when it was my turn to serve; my team ducked warily out of the way every time I was up.**

**The rain was just a mist as I walked to the parking lot, but I was happier when I was in the dry cab. I got the heater running, for once not caring about the mind-numbing roar of the engine. I unzipped my jacket, put the hood down, and fluffed my damp hair out so the heater could dry it on the way home.**

**I looked around me to make sure it was clear. That's when I noticed the still, white figure. Edward Cullen was leaning against the front door of the Volvo, three cars down from me, and staring intently in my direction.**

"What… don't you normally wait in the car" Emmett asked confused

"It cause he wants to talk to Bella" Alice sang who up until this point had been quiet through out most the second chapter

**I swiftly looked away and threw the truck into reverse, almost hitting a rusty Toyota Corolla in my haste. Lucky for the Toyota, I stomped on the brake in time. It was just the sort of car that my truck would make scrap metal of. I took a deep breath, still looking out the other side of my car, and cautiously pulled out again, with greater success. I stared straight ahead as I passed the Volvo, but from a peripheral peek, I would swear I saw him laughing.**

"You got to admit that it is funny" Emmett said as the rest of us chuckled

"Alright that's the end of the chapter who's next" Esme asked

"Ill read" Rosalie said her voice calm as Esme handed her the book

**Ok its bella-30 thanks fro the encouragement and reviews I will continue this story but the next chapter will be done in one of the characters POV's and not third person as requested**

**I also wanted to say I am finally getting a beater to help me her name is Jess1177 she is one of my PM buddy's on Fan Fiction**

**And please continue to read and review this story **

**LOVE Bella-30**


	6. Phenomenon full chapter

**Hey it's Bella-30 and thanks to ****Shari Tamwood**** i was able to complete the 3rd chapter so please Read and Review**

**Disclaimer - i don't own Twilight or this plot**

* * *

**RPOV**

"Phenomenon." I read

'When I opened my eyes in the morning, something was different.'

"Oh that's interesting." I muttered under my breath.

"Rosalie." warned Esme.

"Sorry." I muttered.

'It was the light.'

"Hey maybe we won't have school!" my big bear of a husband said smiling.

"Oh Emmett keep your thoughts PG please." Edward said shaking his head obviously trying to clear it.

"Well maybe you should not be snooping around in my head." my husband shot out a pout on his lips.

"If only I could." Edward shot back.

"Shut it both of you and let me read." I shot at both of them.

'It was still the gray-green light of a cloudy day in the forest, but it was clearer somehow. I realized there was no fog veiling my window.'  
I jumped up to look outside,'

"Snow that's awesome. Snow ball fight." Emmett exclaimed clapping his hands together.

"Yeah that means I can kick your but Em." Jasper said, a smirk clear in his eyes.

"If anyone cares, I'll be reading." I said ignoring my siblings and parents and then groaned in horror.

"Somethings wrong with this human." Emmett said seeming worried.  
"Only you would fall for a weird human" Emmett smirked looking at Edward.

Continuing to ignore them I read again.

'A fine layer of snow covered the yard, dusted the top of my truck, and whitened the road. But that wasn't the worst part. All the rain from yesterday had frozen solid — coating the needles on the trees in fantastic, gorgeous patterns, and making the driveway a deadly ice slick. I had enough trouble not falling down when the ground was dry; it might be safer for me to go back to bed now.'

"Ah that means she'll fall over more." Edward said with a groan.

Why do you care Edward? I thought at him to which my answer was a glare so I continued reading.

'Charlie had left for work before I got downstairs. In a lot of ways, living with Charlie was like having my own place, and I found myself reveling in the aloneness instead of being lonely.'

"Odd girl. Most teens hate being alone." Carlisle said in confusion

"Carlisle, from what we know has this girl ever been normal?" I asked in annoyance.

'I threw down a quick bowl of cereal and some orange juice from the carton. I felt excited to go to school, and that scared me.'

"I think that would scare anyone." Emmett said with a shudder.  
I had to laugh at my husbands theatrics.

'I knew it wasn't the stimulating learning environment I was anticipating, or seeing my new set of friends. If I was being honest with myself, I knew I was eager to get to school because I would see Edward Cullen. And that was very, very stupid.'

"At least she is aware of that it is a stupid thing to want" Edward said looking a little confused.

"Oh yeah unlike Jessica for instance." Jasper said with laugh causing Edward's face to crinkle in disgust

"Can you refrain from talking about her? I don't particularly like her thoughts about my self or about you two so stop it" he sharply replied.

'I should be avoiding him entirely after my brainless and embarrassing babbling yesterday. And I was suspicious of him; why should he lie about his eyes?'

"Oh because I was distracted and didn't put the pieces together till it was too late." he said with a sigh.

"Edward you do know it's a book right?" I said doubtfully

'I was still frightened of the hostility I sometimes felt emanating from him, and I was still tongue-tied whenever I pictured his perfect face.'

"Pretty face. Ha that's hilarious." Emmett said with a smile and I had to agree it was funny.

'I was well aware that my league and his league were spheres that did not touch.'

"What she thinks I'm too good for her if anything it would be the other way around." Edward said incredulously, as it then hit me.

"You like her don't you?" I nearly screeched. How could he? She was human. That's just sick and by the look on his face I knew it was true.

"Rosalie leave him be, understood?" the hard undertone in Alice's voice shocked me.

"You're protecting him? He'll steal her humanity away, her chance at children, a normal life." I said in pure anger, the thought of what I had become coming back.

"You don't know what he'll do, and by what I have seen he will most likely keep her as a human and live his life with her. He, unlike you, can't stand the thought of her death, so don't you dare say that." she growled. I was in shock. I had never thought he would do something like that. I quickly looked over to him.

I'm so sorry Edward I just.. I started and couldn't finish.

"That's alright Rose" he said giving me a tight lipped smile "Let's continue shall we?"

'So I shouldn't be at all anxious to see him today.'

At that I saw his lips twitch up and had to repress my own smile. Though I didn't like the thought of him steeling her life and humanity away, I couldn't say I was not happy for him to have finally found his mate. Even if it was a human.

'It took every ounce of my concentration to make it down the icy brick driveway alive. I almost lost my balance when I finally got to the truck, but I managed to cling to the side mirror and save myself. Clearly, today was going to be nightmarish.'

"Her nightmare, my dream. I can't wait to see her fall." Emmett said looking like a kid on Christmas day.

I simply rolled my eyes at his child like nature and continued reading.

'Driving to school, I distracted myself from my fear of falling and my unwanted speculations about Edward Cullen by thinking about Mike and Eric,'

"Ew. Who would want them on there mind, seriously?" I said disgusted whilst Alice nodded in agreement.

'And the obvious difference in how teenage boys responded to me here. I was sure I looked exactly the same as I had in Phoenix. Maybe it was just that the boys back home had watched me pass slowly through all the awkward phases of adolescence and still thought of me that way. Perhaps it was because I was a novelty here, where novelties were few and far between.'

"Wow, I didn't know how different it must have been back where she lived." Jasper said slight curiosity in his voice.

'Possibly my crippling clumsiness was seen as endearing rather than pathetic, casting me as a damsel in distress. Whatever the reason, Mike's puppy dog behavior and Eric's apparent rivalry with him were disconcerting. I wasn't sure if I didn't prefer being ignored.'

"Ah I have to agree with her on this I would rather be ignored than have to deal with them" I said thinking about them following me around again and felt dirty all over. I think I might have to take a shower after this. Edward chuckled at my thought.

"Me too Rose. I would rather be ignored" Alice said looking horrified at the thought of them following her around again as I was. "Though, that's if our men don't kill them first." She added as I giggled at the thought. Oh fun!

'My truck seemed to have no problem with the black ice that covered the roads. I drove very slowly, though, not wanting to carve a path of destruction through Main Street.'

"I would pay to see that" said Emmett as his booming laughing echoed through the room.  
I sighed. Would he ever learn?

"I doubt it Rose" Edward said, answering my unspoken question.

"What's going on?" Emmett asked suspiciously, looking between Edward and myself.

"Nothing Em, just thinking how immature you are." I responded nostalgically causing him to pout and me to melt so I continued to read.

'When I got out of my truck at school, I saw why I'd had so little trouble. Something silver caught my eye,'

"Snow chains. Her farther must have put them on how sweet" Esme said looking happy and sad at the same time and I had to admit it was rather sweet of Chief Swan

**and I walked to the back of the truck — carefully holding the side for support — to examine my tires. There were thin chains crisscrossed in diamond shapes around them. Charlie had gotten up who knows how early to put snow chains on my truck. My throat suddenly felt tight. I wasn't used to being taken care of, and Charlie's unspoken concern caught me by surprise.**

I saw Esme smiling at Bella's fathers concern and then I saw Edward smile to he really did care for her

**I was standing by the back corner of the truck, struggling to fight back the sudden wave of emotion the snow chains had brought on, when I heard an odd sound. It was a high-pitched screech, and it was fast becoming painfully loud. I looked up, startled.**

"Why don't I like the sound of this" Edward said with a grown

**I saw several things simultaneously. Nothing was moving in slow motion, the way it does in the movies. Instead, the adrenaline rush seemed to make my brain work much faster, and I was able to absorb in clear detail several things at once.**

"Adrenalin rush" Carlisle said thinking aloud

**Edward Cullen was standing four cars down from me, staring at me in horror. His face stood out from a sea of faces, all frozen in the same mask of shock.**

That's not a good sigh

"Oh this cant be good" Edward said speaking his thoughts and mine aloud

**But of more immediate importance was the dark blue van that was skidding, tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly across the ice of the parking lot. It was going to hit the back corner of my truck, and I was standing between them. I didn't even have time to close my eyes.**

"NO" Edward shouted in horror

"Edward it hasn't happened yet you can stop it from happening" Alice said calmly

**Just before I heard the shattering crunch of the van folding around the truck bed, something hit me, hard, but not from the direction I was expecting.**

Oh no he didn't

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen if that is you your dead" I growled

"Rose she would have found out some time she is smart look at how much she notices in such a short time" he argued back

At that I new he had me she was amazingly perceptive for a human and I was starting to like her not that I would admit it

"fine" I said looking at the smug smile on his face I knew he had heard my earlier comment about likening her _shut it Edward you know ill deny it if you mention it and your Volvo might just get a pretty scratch and stop working same with your vanquish_

**My head cracked against the icy blacktop,**

"Idiot be more carful or shell get hurt" I said worry lacing my tone but as I looked around a saw everyone looking at me

"Rosie do you like her" Emmett said looking me strait on

I sighed "ok I like her a little that's no big deal" I said trying to get the shocked look of all my families faces

**and I felt something solid and cold pinning me to the ground.**

"Carful she could get hurt" Carlisle said looking at Edward who nodded so I continued

**I was lying on the pavement behind the tan car I'd parked next to. But I didn't have a chance to notice anything else, because the van was still coming. It had curled gratingly around the end of the truck and, still spinning and sliding, was about to collide with me again.**

"WHAT" the entire family said at the same time

"Man she has some serous bad luck doesn't she" Jasper said looking worried for Bella

"Yeah how the hell dose she make it through a day with out causing a catastrophe" Emmett said actually looking serious

"Edward your going to have your work cut out for you when she gets hear" Alice said with a smile

Her response was a groin of annoyance

**A low oath made me aware that someone was with me, and the voice was impossible not to recognize.**

"Edward that is very impolite" Esme said scolding

"Sorry mum but I think I was more concerned with why the van keep coming after her" he said worry in every word

**Two long, white hands shot out protectively in front of me, and the van shuddered to a stop a foot from my face, the large hands fitting providentially into a deep dent in the side of the van's body.**

"Edward I am all for you saving Bella but we do have other humans to worry about" I said in annoyance

**Then his hands moved so fast they blurred. One was suddenly gripping under the body of the van, and something was dragging me, swinging my legs around like a ragdoll's, till they hit the tire of the tan car. A groaning metallic thud hurt my ears, and the van settled, glass popping, onto the asphalt — exactly where, a second ago, my legs had been.**

"Wow she is a magnet for trouble isn't she" I said amazed that the dam van kept coming after her no matter what

"God this will only get worse I know it" Edward said with a sigh

**It was absolutely silent for one long second before the screaming began. In the abrupt bedlam, I could hear more than one person shouting my name. But more clearly than all the yelling, I could hear Edward Cullen's low, frantic voice in my ear.**

**"Bella? Are you all right?"**

"I hope so she did hit her head after all" Edward said

**"I'm fine." My voice sounded strange. I tried to sit up, and realized he was holding me against the side of his body in an iron grasp.**

**"Be careful," he warned as I struggled. "I think you hit your head pretty hard."**

**I became aware of a throbbing ache centered above my left ear.**

"Well probably use that as a cover" Jasper said looking relived slightly

**"Ow," I said, surprised.**

**"That's what I thought." His voice, amazingly, sounded like he was suppressing laughter.**

**"How in the…" I trailed off, trying to clear my head, get my bearings. "How did you get over here so fast?"**

"Good now well get to see how your book self acts" I said slightly curious

**"I was standing right next to you, Bella," he said, his tone serious again.**

**I turned to sit up, and this time he let me, releasing his hold around my waist and sliding as far from me as he could in the limited space. I looked at his concerned, innocent expression and was disoriented again by the force of his gold-colored eyes.**

**What was I asking him?**

"Hey maybe we can just get him to look at her to make her forget" Emmett said trying to joke but no one laughed

"What it was funny" he said trying to get someone to laugh

"Not really honey" I said man why did he have to have such a weird sense of humor

**And then they found us, a crowd of people with tears streaming down their faces, shouting at each other, shouting at us.**

**"Don't move," someone instructed.**

**"Get Tyler out of the van!" someone else shouted.**

**There was a flurry of activity around us. I tried to get up, but Edward's cold hand pushed my shoulder down.**

**"Just stay put for now."**

**"But it's cold," I complained.**

"Odd human" Emmett muttered causing giggles and snorts of laughter to a cur

**It surprised me when he chuckled under his breath. There was an edge to the sound.**** "You were over there," I suddenly remembered, and his chuckle stopped short. "You were by your car."**

**His expression turned hard. "No, I wasn't."**

"Edward I know you can lie better than that what's up" I asked worried

"I don't know" I could tell by his voice he was confused as much as the rest of us

**"I saw you." All around us was chaos. I could hear the gruffer voices of adults arriving on the scene. But I obstinately held on to our argument; I was right, and he was going to admit it.**

I smirked she was stubborn just like Edward

**"Bella, I was standing with you, and I pulled you out of the way." He unleashed the full, devastating power of his eyes on me, as if trying to communicate something crucial.**

"Hey try to smothering her with your eyes it will stop her asking questions at least" Emmett suggested

"Hey Carlisle do you think the bear that took him down didn't take some of his brain in the posses" Edward asked with a smirk as Emmett glared at him

**"No." I set my jaw.**

**The gold in his eyes blazed. "Please, Bella."**

**"Why?" I demanded.**

**"Trust me," he pleaded, his soft voice overwhelming.**

**I could hear the sirens now. "Will you promise to explain everything to me later?"**

**"Fine," he snapped, abruptly exasperated.**

"Great, now I have to break a promise to her" Edward said with a frowning.

I frowned also I felt guilty about him having to lie to her

**"Fine," I repeated angrily.**

**It took six EMTs and two teachers — Mr. Varner and Coach Clapp — to shift the van far enough away from us to bring the stretchers in. Edward vehemently refused his, and I tried to do the same, but the traitor told them I'd hit my head and probably had a concussion.**

at that I had to giggle of all the things to be mad about when I looked around I could see the others found it just as amusing as I did

**I almost died of humiliation when they put on the neck brace. It looked like the entire school was there, watching soberly as they loaded me in the back of the ambulance. Edward got to ride in the front. It was maddening.**

**To make matters worse, Chief Swan arrived before they could get me safely away.**

**"Bella!" he yelled in panic when he recognized me on the stretcher.**

**"I'm completely fine, Char — Dad," I sighed. "There's nothing wrong with me."**

"Well she would know, probably about as advanced in injures as a nurse" I said

**He turned to the closest EMT for a second opinion. I tuned him out to consider the jumble of inexplicable images churning chaotically in my head. When they'd lifted me away from the car, I had seen the deep dent in the tan car's bumper — a very distinct dent that fit the contours of Edward's shoulders… as if he had braced himself against the car with enough force to damage the metal frame…**

**And then there was his family, looking on from the distance, with expressions that ranged from disapproval to fury, but held no hint of concern for their brother's safety.**

"We should try to remember that incase it happens seeing as any human would be worried about a sibling" Jasper said and we all nodded in agreement

**I tried to think of a logical solution that could explain what I had just seen — a solution that excluded the assumption that I was insane.**

"ahh the crazy theory that happens a lot" Emmett said with a smile "see she is normal"

**Naturally, the ambulance got a police escort to the county hospital. I felt ridiculous the whole time they were unloading me. What made it worse was that Edward simply glided through the hospital doors under his own power. I ground my teeth together.**

"Edward you should have tried to act a little riled up any human would have been" Carlisle said

**They put me in the emergency room, a long room with a line of beds separated by pastel-patterned curtains. A nurse put a pressure cuff on my arm and a thermometer under my tongue. Since no one bothered pulling the curtain around to give me some privacy, I decided I wasn't obligated to wear the stupid-looking neck brace anymore.**

"She really should have keep that on" Carlisle said disapproval in his tone and I had to agree it wasn't smart if she had a internal injury

**When the nurse walked away, I quickly unfastened the Velcro and threw it under the bed.**

We all chuckled and I shook my head

**There was another flurry of hospital personnel, another stretcher brought to the bed next to me. I recognized Tyler Crowley from my Government class beneath the bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head. Tyler looked a hundred times worse than I felt. But he was staring anxiously at me.**

**"Bella, I'm so sorry!"**

"Oh Eddie more competition" Emmett said laughing while Edward was throwing him a murderous glare

**"I'm fine, Tyler — you look awful, are you all right?" As we spoke, nurses began unwinding his soiled bandages, exposing a myriad of shallow slices all over his forehead and left cheek.**

**He ignored me. "I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong…" He winced as one nurse started dabbing at his face.**

**"Don't worry about it; you missed me."**

**"How did you get out of the way so fast? You were there, and then you were gone…"**

"He's not helping our case" I said in annoyance and the family nodded

**"Umm… Edward pulled me out of the way."**

**He looked confused. "Who?"**

"Huh looks like not everyone knows who you are Ed" Emmett said with a smile

"Thank God" I heard Edward mutter under his breath

**"Edward Cullen — he was standing next to me." I'd always been a terrible liar; I didn't sound convincing at all.**

**"Cullen? I didn't see him… wow, it was all so fast, I guess. Is he okay?"**

"Now why cant she act like that" I asked even though I liked her didn't mean I wanted her to know my families secret

I watched as the others nodded in agreement

**"I think so. He's here somewhere, but they didn't make him use a stretcher."**

**I knew I wasn't crazy. What had happened? There was no way to explain away what I'd seen.**

"Yes but lets hope she doesn't find out what it is we don't need the Voltori visiting us" I said with a sigh

And the thought of a visit from them sobered everyone up

**They wheeled me away then, to X-ray my head. I told them there was nothing wrong, and I was right. Not even a concussion.**

"Well at least she's ok but it wont help us now" Edward said with a sigh

_Your mess you clean it up _I thought to him and he sighed again

**I asked if I could leave, but the nurse said I had to talk to a doctor first. So I was trapped in the ER, waiting, harassed by Tyler 's constant apologies and promises to make it up to me. No matter how many times I tried to convince him I was fine, he continued to torment himself. Finally, I closed my eyes and ignored him. He kept up a remorseful mumbling.**

**"Is she sleeping?" a musical voice asked. My eyes flew open.**

"Oh her hero has arrived" Jasper said smiling at his brother who only glared openly at Jasper

**Edward was standing at the foot of my bed, smirking. I glared at him. It wasn't easy — it would have been more natural to ogle.**

At that everyone laughed

**"Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry —"Tyler began.**

**Edward lifted a hand to stop him.**

**"No blood, no foul," he said, flashing his brilliant teeth.**

"That is amazing that your able to resist" Carlisle said to Edward

"Yes but that's only because she smells better than a open wound seeing as she's my singer" Edward said with a sigh

"Well its good then that you didn't let her get hit if that had happened we would have to kill the entire school population" I said without thinking

And by the look on Edwards face he was suffering through the mental image of it so I started to read again

**He moved to sit on the edge of Tyler 's bed, facing me. He smirked again.**

**"So, what's the verdict?" he asked me.**

**"There's nothing wrong with me at all, but they won't let me go," I complained. "How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us?"**

**"It's all about who you know," he answered. "But don't worry, I came to spring you."**

**Then a doctor walked around the corner, and my mouth fell open.**

"Ah there you are dad" Emmett said causing Carlisle to smile

**He was young, he was blond… and he was handsomer than any movie star I'd ever seen.**

"Oh that's sweet" Carlisle said laughing slightly

**He was pale, though, and tired-looking, with circles under his eyes. From Charlie's description, this had to be Edward's father.**

"The one and only" Edward said causing Carlisle to smile again

**"So, Miss Swan," Dr. Cullen said in a remarkably appealing voice, "how are you feeling?"**

**"I'm fine," I said, for the last time, I hoped.**

"Huh and she was so strong head strong before about being alright" I muttered under my breath

**He walked to the light board on the wall over my head, and turned it on.**

**"Your X-rays look good," he said. "Does your head hurt? Edward said you hit it pretty hard."**

"hmm you'll be lucky if that doesn't get you on her bad side dad" I muttered this caused Emmett to laugh "come on Rose we all know no one can hate Carlisle its like hating a saint you just cant do it"

That comment caused a caused of yeah's to go around the room

**"It's fine," I repeated with a sigh, throwing a quick scowl toward Edward.**

**The doctor's cool fingers probed lightly along my skull. He noticed when I winced.**

**"Tender?" he asked.**

**"Not really." I'd had worse.**

"god I have to wonder how she mad it this long with out bodily harm" Edward muttered

**I heard a chuckle, and looked over to see Edward's patronizing smile. My eyes narrowed.**

**"Well, your father is in the waiting room — you can go home with him now. But come back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at all."**

**"Can't I go back to school?" I asked, imagining Charlie trying to be attentive.**

**"Maybe you should take it easy today."**

**I glanced at Edward. "Does he get to go to school?"**

**"Someone has to spread the good news that we survived," Edward said smugly.**

**"Actually," Dr. Cullen corrected, "most of the school seems to be in the waiting room."**

"Oh that's not going to please her" Jasper said causing everyone to chuckle

"na its just an excuse to ditch" Emmett said as if it were a known fact this also caused a few chuckles

**"Oh no," I moaned, covering my face with my hands.**

**Dr. Cullen raised his eyebrows. "Do you want to stay?"**

**"No, no!" I insisted, throwing my legs over the side of the bed and hopping down quickly. Too quickly — I staggered, and Dr. Cullen caught me. He looked concerned.**

**"I'm fine," I assured him again. No need to tell him my balance problems had nothing to do with hitting my head.**

I couldn't control the laugh that slipped my lips at that and nether could anyone else it appeared

**"Take some Tylenol for the pain," he suggested as he steadied me.**

**"It doesn't hurt that bad," I insisted.**

**"It sounds like you were extremely lucky," Dr. Cullen said, smiling as he signed my chart with a flourish.**

**"Lucky Edward happened to be standing next to me," I amended with a hard glance at the subject of my statement.**

**"Oh, well, yes," Dr. Cullen agreed, suddenly occupied with the papers in front of him.**

**Then he looked away, at Tyler, and walked to the next bed. My intuition flickered; the doctor was in on it.**

"It appears that Edward is not the only one having a bad day at lying to this girl" Carlisle muttered

**"I'm afraid that you'll have to stay with us just a little bit longer," he said to Tyler, and began checking his cuts.**

**As soon as the doctor's back was turned, I moved to Edward's side.**

**"Can I talk to you for a minute?" I hissed under my breath. He took a step back from me, his jaw suddenly clenched.**

"She's to close" Edward said he looked upset "her sent is so potent that if she stays there ill likely attack her" he said answering someone's question

**"Your father is waiting for you," he said through his teeth.**

**I glanced at Dr. Cullen and Tyler.**

**"I'd like to speak with you alone, if you don't mind," I pressed.**

**He glared, and then turned his back and strode down the long room. I nearly had to run to keep up. As soon as we turned the corner into a short hallway, he spun around to face me.**

**"What do you want?" he asked, sounding annoyed. His eyes were cold.**

"Edward don't be so harsh with her" I warned

**His unfriendliness intimidated me. My words came out with less severity than I'd intended. "You owe me an explanation," I reminded him.**

**"I saved your life — I don't owe you anything."**

**I flinched back from the resentment in his voice. "You promised."**

**"Bella, you hit your head, you don't know what you're talking about." His tone was cutting.**

**My temper flared now, and I glared defiantly at him. "There's nothing wrong with my head."**

**He glared back. "What do you want from me, Bella?"**

**"I want to know the truth," I said. "I want to know why I'm lying for you."**

At that Edward sighed heavily

_You ok_ I thought I like the girl but I am still ageist her becoming one of us

I saw him give me a small nod interacting he agreed with me

**"What do you think happened?" he snapped.**

**It came out in a rush.**

**"All I know is that you weren't anywhere near me —Tyler didn't see you, either, so don't tell me I hit my head too hard. That van was going to crush us both — and it didn't, and your hands left dents in the side of it — and you left a dent in the other car, and you're not hurt at all — and the van should have smashed my legs, but you were holding it up…" I could hear how crazy it sounded, and I couldn't continue. I was so mad I could feel the tears coming; I tried to force them back by grinding my teeth together.**

**He was staring at me incredulously. But his face was tense, defensive.**

"Incredible she saw every thing" I muttered and saw my siblings and parents nod in agreement

**"You think I lifted a van off you?" His tone questioned my sanity, but it only made me more suspicious. It was like a perfectly delivered line by a skilled actor.**

"Wow she really is to good at reading things" I said in amazement

**I merely nodded once, jaw tight.**

**"Nobody will believe that, you know." His voice held an edge of derision now.**

"God I just practically admitted it" Edward whispered in annoyance as he started raking his hand through hair

And I had to admit his book self was an idiot

**"I'm not going to tell anybody." I said each word slowly, carefully controlling my anger.**

**Surprise flitted across his face. "Then why does it matter?"**

**"It matters to me," I insisted. "I don't like to lie — so there'd better be a good reason why I'm doing it."**

**"Can't you just thank me and get over it?"**

"Not likely she's as stubborn as a mule" I scoffed

**"Thank you." I waited, fuming and expectant.**

**"You're not going to let it go, are you?"**

**"No."**

**"In that case… I hope you enjoy disappointment."**

"pft as if that's not enough to make her start digging" I said looking at Edward who hung his head

"She has a point Edward" Alice said

**We scowled at each other in silence. I was the first to speak, trying to keep myself focused. I was in danger of being distracted by his livid, glorious face. It was like trying to stare down a destroying angel.**

**"Why did you even bother?" I asked frigidly.**

"Because he loves you" Emmett said with a laugh but by the look on Edwards face he was going to get hit so I decided to help out and slap him on the back of the head

"Aw Rosie what was that for" he complained

"For your comment so stop complaining" I hissed in his ear

**He paused, and for a brief moment his stunning face was unexpectedly vulnerable.**

**"I don't know," he whispered.**

"Men are clueless" I muttered and Alice and Esme nodded in agreement

**And then he turned his back on me and walked away.**

**I was so angry, it took me a few minutes until I could move. When I could walk, I made my way slowly to the exit at the end of the hallway.**

**The waiting room was more unpleasant than I'd feared. It seemed like every face I knew in Forks was there, staring at me. Charlie rushed to my side; I put up my hands.**

**"There's nothing wrong with me," I assured him sullenly. I was still aggravated, not in the mood for chitchat.**

**"What did the doctor say?"**

**"Dr. Cullen saw me, and he said I was fine and I could go home." I sighed. Mike and Jessica and Eric were all there, beginning to converge on us. "Let's go," I urged.**

**Charlie put one arm behind my back, not quite touching me, and led me to the glass doors of the exit. I waved sheepishly at my friends, hoping to convey that they didn't need to worry anymore. It was a huge relief— the first time I'd ever felt that way — to get into the cruiser.**

**We drove in silence. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I barely knew Charlie was there. I was positive that Edward's defensive behavior in the hall was a confirmation of the bizarre things I still could hardly believe I'd witnessed.**

**When we got to the house, Charlie finally spoke.**

**"Um… you'll need to call Renée." He hung his head, guilty.**

**I was appalled. "You told Mom!"**

**"Sorry."**

"Oh her mother will be worried sick" Esme said her maternal side taking over

**I slammed the cruiser's door a little harder than necessary on my way out.**

**My mom was in hysterics, of course. I had to tell her I felt fine at least thirty times before she would calm down. She begged me to come home — forgetting the fact that home was empty at the moment — but her pleas were easier to resist than I would have thought. I was consumed by the mystery Edward presented. And more than a little obsessed by Edward himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I wasn't as eager to escape Forks as I should be, as any normal, sane person would be.**

"Wow she likes you just as much as you like her" Emmett said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively

**I decided I might as well go to bed early that night. Charlie continued to watch me anxiously, and it was getting on my nerves. I stopped on my way to grab three Tylenol from the bathroom. They did help, and, as the pain eased, I drifted to sleep.**

**That was the first night I dreamed of Edward Cullen.**

"She dreamt about you!" Alice said and Esme smiled.

"That sweet" I said.

"Who wants to read next" I asked.

"I will" Edward said holding out his hand and taking the book from me.


	7. Invitations

**OK this chapter is a ****special chapter **cues my beater did most of it she is Jess1177 I would also like to ask who's POV you would like next but any way so I hope you like please read and review and sorry it took so long to update 

**LOVE **

**Bella-30 and Jess1177**

* * *

**E POV**

**"Invitations,"** I read. **In my dream it was very dark, and what dim light there was seemed to be radiating from Edward's skin.  
**  
"I don't like the sound of this" I muttered and watched some of my family nod in agreement

**I couldn't see his face, just his back as he walked away from me, leaving me in the blackness. No matter how fast I ran, I couldn't catch up to him; no matter how loud I called, he never turned. Troubled, I woke in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep again for what seemed like a very long time.  
After that, he was in my dreams nearly every night, but always on the periphery, never within reach.  
**  
"Hmm so she's dreaming about you," Emmett said trying to provoke me but all I could do was smile at the thought of her dreaming about me because if I could dream it would be of her.

**The month that followed the accident was uneasy, tense, and, at first, embarrassing.**

"Ha" Emmett said smirking. Causing Rose hit him across the head.  
"What? I thought it was funny." Emmett sulked

I continued.

**To my dismay, I found myself the centre of attention for the rest of that week. Tyler Crowley was impossible, following me around, obsessed with making amends to me somehow. I tried to convince him what I wanted more than anything else was for him to forget all about it — especially since nothing had actually happened to me — but he remained insistent.  
**  
Oh grate more males after my Bella as I thought I couldn't help but growl

"Oh Eddie's got more competition" Emmett said laughing  
_No offence Edward but she dose attract a lot of boys_ Jasper thought I sighed though I didn't like it the statement was true

**He followed me between classes and sat at our now-crowded lunch table. Mike and Eric were even less friendly toward him than they were to each other, which made me worry that I'd gained another unwelcome fan.  
**  
The others and I chuckled at that

**No one seemed concerned about Edward, though I explained over and over that he was the hero — how he had pulled me out of the way and had nearly been crushed, too. I tried to be convincing. Jessica, Mike, Eric, and everyone else always commented that they hadn't even seen him there till the van was pulled away. I wondered to myself why no one else had seen him standing so far away, before he was suddenly, impossibly saving my life.  
**  
"Most likely they were to preoccupied with staring at her to notice Edward's little stunt" Rosalie said _no offence Edward but it was stupid _she thought noticing the growl rising in my thought.

**With chagrin, I realized the probable cause- no one else was aware of Edward as I was. No one else watched him the way I did. How pitiful.  
**  
"I don't think it's pitiful," I muttered.  
"Hahaha Eddie you have a stalker!" Emmett laughed. Rose, Alice and Jasper all shook there heads at him while Esme and Carlisle just sighed

**Edward was never surrounded by crowds of curious bystanders eager for his first hand account. People avoided him as usual. The Cullen's and the Hales sat at the same table as always, not eating, talking among themselves. None of them, especially Edward, glanced my way anymore.**

"How can you children be so cruel? She obviously noticed that you all dislike her." Esme said, clearly disappointed in us.  
"But Mum it hasn't happened yet!" Emmett Complained. Trying to defend him self

**When he sat next to me in class, as far away as the table would allow, he seemed totally unaware of my presence. Only now and then, when his fists would suddenly ball up – Skin stretched even whiter over the bones- did I wonder is he wasn't quite obliviously as he appeared**.

"EDWARD that is terrible rude to do but I must say it was likely necessary" Esme was clearly upset by this.  
"I'm sorry Esme. But it wont last long I can tell," I replied to her, annoyed at myself for not thinking strait.

He wished he hadn't pulled me from the path of Tyler's van – there was no other conclusion I could come to.

EDWARD!! You don't really think that do you? Alice thought.  
"No of course not." I snapped.

**I wanted very much to talk to him, and the day after the accident I tried. The last time I'd seen him, outside the ER, we'd both been so furious. I was still angry he wouldn't trust me with the truth, even though I was keeping my part of the bargain flawlessly. But he had in fact saved my life, no matter how he'd done it. And overnight, the heat of my anger faded into awed gratitude.**

Its not that I wouldn't want to tell her, it's the fact I couldn't for her safety. I thought as a tone of guilt hit me as I thought of what this could mean for her

"Hey Edward, don't feel guilty. We all know you would tell her if you could. None of us are angry." Jasper said as he sent a wave of calm over us all. I knew he was right no one would be angry with me because I couldn't tell her, for her safety.

**He was already seated when I got to Biology, looking straight ahead. I sat down, expecting him to turn toward me. He showed no sign that he realized I was there.  
**  
"Oh but if only you knew. He is so very aware of you," giggled Alice.

**"Hello Edward," I said pleasantly, to show him I was going to behave myself.  
He turned his head a fraction toward me without meeting my gaze, nodded once, and then looked the other way.  
And that was the last contact I'd had with him, though he was there, a foot away from me, everyday. I watched him sometimes – unable to stop myself – from a distance, though in the cafeteria or in the parking lot. I watched as his golden eyes grew perceptibly darker day by day.  
**

"She really is good for you," Emmett grinned. "your both weird to the bone"

**But in class I gave no more notice that he existed than he showed toward me. I was miserable. And the dreams continued.  
**  
"Edward" Esme said, her motherly instincts kicking in. "you need to start to be a lot kinder in the way you talk to her when she actually arrives here"

"you got it mom." I replied.  
**  
Despite my outright lies, the tenor of my emails alerted Renée to my depression, and she called a few times, worried. I tried to convince her that it was just the weather that had me down.  
Mike, at least, was pleased by the obvious coolness me and my lab partner. I could see he'd been worried that Edward's daring rescue might have impressed me, and he was relieved that it had the opposite effect**.

"I feel sorry for the poor girl! Mike really is gross! Drooling over all new girls. He NEEDS to get a life!" Rosalie muttered, but we all heard her.  
I started to hear the thoughts of my family.  
_Did she really just say that! Though I have to agree with her_. Alice  
_She really does mean it Edward_. Jasper

_she really has grown to like Bella_. Esme  
_that's good, Rose will at least be less difficult now that she has come to think of Bella in a better light _. Carlisle

_GO ROSIE!!! What I could do to her right now… _I shuddered at Emmett's thoughts

**He grew more confident, sitting on the edge of my table to talk before Biology class started, ignoring Edward as completely as he ignored us.  
The snow washed away for good after that one dangerously icy day. Mike was disappointed he'd never gotten to stage his snowball fight, but pleased that the beach trip would soon be possible. The rain continued heavily, though, and the weeks passed.**

"awe dam no more snow ball fights" I heard Emmett mutter and I had to chuckle at the obscurity of the thoughts flying around in his head

**Jessica made me aware of another event looming on the horizon — she called the first Tuesday of March to ask my permission to invite Mike to the girls' choice spring dance in two weeks.**

"Oh a dance what I wouldn't give to see Bella at one" Emmett said with an Evil chuckle

I pressed my lips together thought I had to admit it would be a sight if Bella was as clumsy as she said she was in the books

**"Are you sure you don't mind… you weren't planning to ask him?" she persisted when I told her I didn't mind in the least.**

**"No, Jess, I'm not going," I assured her. Dancing was glaringly outside my range of abilities.**

"Well at least she's honest about it" Emmett said laughing I on the other hand was not

"She maybe Emmett but its all in the leading" Esme said with a soft smile in my direction and I had to smile at the thought of me and Bella dancing together

**"It will be really fun." Her attempt to convince me was halfhearted. I suspected that Jessica enjoyed my inexplicable popularity more than my actual company.**

"Smart girl" Rosalie muttered and I nodded in agreement I was sure that was most likely Jessica's intentions with my Bella

**"You have fun with Mike," I encouraged.**

**The next day, I was surprised that Jessica wasn't her usual gushing self in Trig and Spanish.**

**She was silent as she walked by my side between classes, and I was afraid to ask her why. If Mike had turned her down, I was the last person she would want to tell.**

**My fears were strengthened during lunch when Jessica sat as far from Mike as possible, chatting animatedly with Eric. Mike was unusually quiet.**

**Mike was still quiet as he walked me to class, the uncomfortable look on his face a bad sign. But he didn't broach the subject until I was in my seat and he was perched on my desk. As always, I was electrically aware of Edward sitting close enough to touch, as distant as if he were merely an invention of my imagination.**

**"So," Mike said, looking at the floor, "Jessica asked me to the spring dance."**

**"That's great." I made my voice bright and enthusiastic. "You'll have a lot of fun with Jessica."**

At that all the Cullen's teen burst out laughing

"Well at least these books are entertaining" I said with a chuckle

"You can say that again bro" Emmett said laughing again

**"Well…" He floundered as he examined my smile, clearly not happy with my response.**

**"I told her I had to think about it."**

**"Why would you do that?" I let disapproval color my tone, though I was relieved he hadn't given her an absolute no.**

"Most likely he wanted Bella to ask" Alice said with a shrug then smirked as I let a low growl leave my chest

"Overprotective much" she muttered

**His face was bright red as he looked down again. Pity shook my resolve.**

**"I was wondering if… well, if you might be planning to ask me."**

**I paused for a moment, hating the wave of guilt that swept through me. But I saw, from the corner of my eye, Edward's head tilt reflexively in my direction.**

**"Mike, I think you should tell her yes," I said.**

**"Did you already ask someone?" Did Edward notice how Mike's eyes flickered in his direction?**

**"No," I assured him. "I'm not going to the dance at all."**

**"Why not?" Mike demanded.**

**I didn't want to get into the safety hazards that dancing presented, so I quickly made new plans.**

**"I'm going to Seattle that Saturday," I explained.**

**I needed to get out of town anyway — it was suddenly the perfect time to go.**

**"Can't you go some other weekend?"**

**"Sorry, no," I said. "So you shouldn't make Jess wait any longer — it's rude."**

**"Yeah, you're right," he mumbled, and turned, dejected, to walk back to his seat. I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to push the guilt and sympathy out of my head. Mr. Banner began talking. I sighed and opened my eyes.**

**And Edward was staring at me curiously, that same, familiar edge of frustration even more distinct now in his black eyes.**

"Most likely wondering why she turned him down" I muttered to my self but unluckily Emmett heard me

"Oh jealous are we Eddie" he said with a smirk , and I snapped

"Emmett don't call me Eddie or you'll be Emmy got it" I warned as the rest of the family watched on with humor

**I stared back, surprised, expecting him to look quickly away. But instead he continued to gaze with probing intensity into my eyes. There was no question of me looking away.**

**My hands started to shake.**

**"Mr. Cullen?" the teacher called, seeking the answer to a question that I hadn't heard.**

**"The Krebs Cycle," Edward answered, seeming reluctant as he turned to look at Mr. Banner.**

**I looked down at my book as soon as his eyes released me, trying to find my place.**

**Cowardly as ever, I shifted my hair over my right shoulder to hide my face. I couldn't believe the rush of emotion pulsing through me — just because he'd happened to look at me for the first time in a half-dozen weeks. I couldn't allow him to have this level of influence over me. It was pathetic. More than pathetic, it was unhealthy.**

**I tried very hard not to be aware of him for the rest of the hour, and, since that was impossible, at least not to let him know that I was aware of him.**

"Just like him" Alice said with a smirk as she started blocking her thoughts from me

I sighed in frustration

**When the bell rang at last, I turned my back to him to gather my things, expecting him to leave immediately as usual.**

**"Bella?" His voice shouldn't have been so familiar to me, as if I'd known the sound of it all my life rather than for just a few short weeks.**

"that didn't last long" Rose said with a faint smile _I may like her as a mate for you sort of but I still don't like how you cracked so easily _

**turned slowly, unwillingly. I didn't want to feel what I knew I would feel when I looked at his too-perfect face. My expression was wary when I finally turned to him; his expression was unreadable. He didn't say anything.**

**"What? Are you speaking to me again?" I finally asked, an unintentional note of petulance in my voice.**

**His lips twitched, fighting a smile. "No, not really," he admitted.**

**I closed my eyes and inhaled slowly through my nose, aware that I was gritting my teeth. He waited.**

**"Then what do you want, Edward?" I asked, keeping my eyes closed; it was easier to talk to him coherently that way.**

**"I'm sorry." He sounded sincere. "I'm being very rude, I know. But it's better this way, really."**

**I opened my eyes. His face was very serious.**

**"I don't know what you mean," I said, my voice guarded.**

**"It's better if we're not friends," he explained. "Trust me."**

**My eyes narrowed. I'd heard that before.**

"Bad word choice bro" Jasper said with a faint smile I sighed

"Go a head both of you" I said

And as if on cue Emmett and he burst out into laughter "dude you suck talking to her don't you" Emmett said through his laughter and I just sighed knowing any reply would only make it worse

**"It's too bad you didn't figure that out earlier," I hissed through my teeth. "You could have saved yourself all this regret."**

**"Regret?" The word, and my tone, obviously caught him off guard. "Regret for what?"**

**"For not just letting that stupid van squish me."**

**He was astonished. He stared at me in disbelief.**

**When he finally spoke, he almost sounded mad. "You think I regret saving your life?"**

**"I know you do," I snapped.**

**"You don't know anything." He was definitely mad.**

"How could she think that" I said through gritted teeth

"well you are giving out mixed signals its kind of logical I mean you have to remember she doesn't have all the facts yet dose she" Carlisle said calming my anger with the help of Jasper who I smiled a presciently at

**I turned my head sharply away from him, clenching my jaw against all the wild accusations I wanted to hurl at him. I gathered my books together, then stood and walked to the door. I meant to sweep dramatically out of the room, but of course I caught the toe of my boot on the door jamb and dropped my books. I stood there for a moment, thinking about leaving them. Then I sighed and bent to pick them up. He was there; he'd already stacked them into a pile. He handed them to me, his face hard.**

I chuckled at that while Emmett on the other hand let out his infamous booming laugh

"boys" Esme said scolding "sorry mom we said in union

**"Thank you," I said icily.**

**His eyes narrowed.**

**"You're welcome," he retorted.**

**I straightened up swiftly, turned away from him again, and stalked off to Gym without looking back.**

**Gym was brutal. We'd moved on to basketball. My team never passed me the ball, so that was good, but I fell down a lot. Sometimes I took people with me.**

"Man I really want to get into her gym class" Emmett said wearing another evil smile

"Poor Bella" I muttered to myself

**Today I was worse than usual because my head was so filled with Edward. I tried to concentrate on my feet, but he kept creeping back into my thoughts just when I really needed my balance.**

**It was a relief, as always, to leave. I almost ran to the truck; there were just so many people I wanted to avoid. The truck had suffered only minimal damage in the accident. I'd had to replace the taillights, and if I'd had a real paint job, I would have touched that up. Tyler 's parents had to sell their van for parts.**

**I almost had a stroke when I rounded the corner and saw a tall, dark figure leaning against the side of my truck. Then I realized it was just Eric. I started walking again.**

"Poor girl she thought it was Eddie what a frightening thought" Emmett said in mock horror

I sighed some times I really hated my brother no scratch that I hated him most the time

**"Hey, Eric," I called.**

**"Hi, Bella."**

**"What's up?" I said as I was unlocking the door. I wasn't paying attention to the uncomfortable edge in his voice, so his next words took me by surprise.**

**"Uh, I was just wondering… if you would go to the spring dance with me? " His voice broke on the last word.**

**"I thought it was girls' choice," I said,**

"dam that was a major hit to the ego" Emmett said while laughing, I myself found the whole conversation funny to

**too startled to be diplomatic.**

**"Well, yeah," he admitted, shamefaced.**

**I recovered my composure and tried to make my smile warm. "Thank you for asking me, but I'm going to be in Seattle that day."**

**"Oh," he said. "Well, maybe next time."**

"Let's hope he doesn't take that literally" Jasper said smiling

"Oh don't worry he wont have a chance to ask if he dose" I said smiling as the mirth rolled of him and into me

**"Sure," I agreed, and then bit my lip. I wouldn't want him to take that too literally.**

**He slouched off, back toward the school. I heard a low chuckle.**

**Edward was walking past the front of my truck, looking straight forward, his lips pressed together.**

"Trying not to laugh" I muttered

"How can you not that stuff was gold" Emmett said with a grin

**I yanked the door open and jumped inside, slamming it loudly behind me. I revved the engine deafeningly and reversed out into the aisle. Edward was in his car already, two spaces down, sliding out smoothly in front of me, cutting me off. He stopped there — to wait for his family;**

"What are you up to" Jasper asked

"I have no idea my self in the book is pretty confusing

**I could see the four of them walking this way, but still by the cafeteria. I considered taking out the rear of his shiny Volvo,**

"NO" I almost shouted

"I would pay to see that" Emmett said with a smile, causing me to growl at him

"And I would destroy the jeep as payback" I replied through my teeth

"Stop it both of you or we stop" Esme warned I sighed "ok mom" I said as I continued to stare down Emmett

**but there were too many witnesses. I looked in my rearview mirror. A line was beginning to form. Directly behind me, Tyler Crowley was in his recently acquired used Sentra, waving. I was too aggravated to acknowledge him.**

**While I was sitting there, looking everywhere but at the car in front of me, I heard a knock on my passenger side window. I looked over; it was Tyler. I glanced back in my rearview mirror, confused. His car was still running, the door left open. I leaned across the cab to crank the window down. It was stiff. I got it halfway down, then gave up.**

**"I'm sorry, Tyler, I'm stuck behind Cullen." I was annoyed — obviously the holdup wasn't my fault.**

**"Oh, I know — I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here." He grinned.**

**This could not be happening.**

"I see why you stopped" Alice said smiling

"Yeah this auto to be good" Jasper said

**"Will you ask me to the spring dance?" he continued.**

**"I'm not going to be in town, Tyler." My voice sounded a little sharp. I had to remember it wasn't his fault that Mike and Eric had already used up my quota of patience for the day.**

**"Yeah, Mike said that," he admitted.**

"idiot" I muttered causing my brothers and sisters to laugh

**"Then why —"**

**He shrugged. "I was hoping you were just letting him down easy."**

**Okay, it was completely his fault.**

**"Sorry, Tyler," I said, working to hide my irritation. "I really am going out of town."**

**"That's cool. We still have prom."**

**And before I could respond, he was walking back to his car. I could feel the shock on my face. I looked forward to see Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper all sliding into the Volvo. In his rearview mirror, Edward's eyes were on me. He was unquestionably shaking with laughter, as if he'd heard every word Tyler had said.**

"Of course I did" said fighting the grin trying to get on my face

"Well at least that was fairly clean" Rose said while smiling

**My foot itched toward the gas pedal… one little bump wouldn't hurt any of them, just that glossy silver paint job. I revved the engine.**** But they were all in, and Edward was speeding away. I drove home slowly, carefully, muttering to myself the whole way.**

**When I got home, I decided to make chicken enchiladas for dinner. It was a long process, and it would keep me busy. While I was simmering the onions and chilies, the phone rang. I was almost afraid to answer it, but it might be Charlie or my mom.**

**It was Jessica, and she was jubilant; Mike had caught her after school to accept her invitation. I celebrated with her briefly while I stirred. She had to go, she wanted to call Angela and Lauren to tell them. I suggested — with casual innocence — that maybe Angela, the shy girl who had Biology with me, could ask Eric. And Lauren, a standoffish girl who had always ignored me at the lunch table, could ask Tyler; I'd heard he was still available.**

"Nice thinking sis" Emmett said smiling, I just stared at him with a raised eyebrow

"What" he said defensively

"Sis" I asked

"Yeah it's obvious shell be your mate so she's my sis" he sad as if it were the most obvious thing ever I just shook my head at his logic

**Jess thought that was a great idea. Now that she was sure of Mike, she actually sounded sincere when she said she wished I would go to the dance. I gave her my Seattle excuse.**

**After I hung up, I tried to concentrate on dinner — dicing the chicken especially; I didn't want to take another trip to the emergency room. But my head was spinning, trying to analyze every word Edward had spoken today. What did he mean, it was better if we weren't friends?**

"It means he can't stay away when he should" Rose said with a smirk

"Shut it Rose" I muttered embarrassed, causing her Emmett and Jasper to laugh

**My stomach twisted as I realized what he must have meant. He must see how absorbed I was by him; he must not want to lead me on… so we couldn't even be friends… because he wasn't interested in me at all.**

"How could she think that" I whispered in disbelief

"Yeah especially with you acting so stupidly, it's quite funny how much power she has on you already" Rose said smirking

"Can it Rose" I quipped as I glared at her all I got in response was a sly smirk

**Of course he wasn't interested in me, I thought angrily, my eyes stinging — a delayed reaction to the onions.**

"like we belive that" Emmett muttered

**I wasn't interesting. And he was. Interesting… and brilliant… and mysterious… and perfect… and beautiful… and possibly able to lift full-sized vans with one hand.**

"Dam this girl thinks highly of you if only she knew the real Edward" Emmett said laughing but stopped as soon as Esme and I glared at him

**Well, that was fine. I could leave him alone. I would leave him alone. I would get through my self-imposed sentence here in purgatory, and then hopefully some school in the Southwest, or possibly Hawaii, would offer me a scholarship. I focused my thoughts on sunny beaches and palm trees as I finished the enchiladas and put them in the oven.**

**Charlie seemed suspicious when he came home and smelled the green peppers. I couldn't blame him — the closest edible Mexican food was probably in southern California. But he was a cop, even if just a small-town cop, so he was brave enough to take the first bite. He seemed to like it. It was fun to watch as he slowly began trusting me in the kitchen.**

**"Dad?" I asked when he was almost done.**

**"Yeah, Bella?"**

**"Um, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Seattle for the day a week from Saturday… if that's okay?" I didn't want to ask permission — it set a bad precedent — but I felt rude, so I tacked it on at the end.**

**"Why?" He sounded surprised, as if he were unable to imagine something that Forks couldn't offer.**

**"Well, I wanted to get few books — the library here is pretty limited — and maybe look at some clothes." I had more money than I was used to having, since, thanks to Charlie, I hadn't had to pay for a car. Not that the truck didn't cost me quite a bit in the gas department.**

**"That truck probably doesn't get very good gas mileage," he said, echoing my thoughts.**

Both me and Rose shuddered

_How the dam think hasn't died already is beyond me_ I heard her think

"I have no idea how" I muttered to her

**"I know, I'll stop in Montesano and Olympia — and Tacoma if I have to."**

"Are you going all by yourself?" he asked, and I couldn't tell if he was suspicious I had a secret boyfriend or just worried about car trouble.** "Yes."**

**"Seattle is a big city — you could get lost," he fretted.**

**"Dad, Phoenix is five times the size of Seattle — and I can read a map, don't worry about it."**

**"Do you want me to come with you?"**

"NO" both Alice and Rose shrieked making me wince at the sound I raised my eyebrow at them

"having your farther there is just embarrassing" Rosalie replied as if it were common knowledge I looked to my brothers and saw them shrug, well at least there wife's were not only a mystery to me but to them to

**I tried to be crafty as I hid my horror. "That's all right, Dad, I'll probably just be in dressing rooms all day — very boring."**

**"Oh, okay." The thought of sitting in women's clothing stores for any period of time immediately put him off.**

"She's smart" Alice said proudly

**"Thanks." I smiled at him.**

**"Will you be back in time for the dance?"**

**Grr.**

"Only in Forks" I muttered and watched the other's chuckle, though I my self did like the town it was just gossip spread like wild dire here

**Only in a town this small would a father know when the high school dances were.**

"Unfortunately" Alice sighed

**"No — I don't dance, Dad." He, of all people, should understand that — I didn't get my balance problems from my mother.**

**He did understand. "Oh, that's right," he realized.**

**The next morning, when I pulled into the parking lot, I deliberately parked as far as possible from the silver Volvo. I didn't want to put myself in the path of too much temptation and end up owing him a new car.**

"awe I wish she would" Emmett said with a sigh

I growled at him "touch my car and I will make you suffer" I threatened

**Getting out of the cab, I fumbled with my key and it fell into a puddle at my feet. As I bent to get it, a white hand flashed out and grabbed it before I could.**

"Wonder who that is" Jasper muttered looking at me I only glared back

**I jerked upright. Edward Cullen was right next to me, leaning casually against my truck.**

**"How do you do that?" I asked in amazed irritation.**

**"Do what?" He held my key out as he spoke. As I reached for it, he dropped it into my palm.**

**"Appear out of thin air."**

"I keep forgetting how perceptive she is" I said to my self

"She really is isn she" Carlisle mumbled

**"Bella, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant." His voice was quiet as usual — velvet, muted.****I scowled at his perfect face.**

"Perfect face she doesn't know you well dose she" Emmett said batting his eyelashes and laughing, I merely ignored him

**His eyes were light again today, a deep, golden honey color. Then I had to look down, to reassemble my now-tangled thoughts.**

**"Why the traffic jam last night?" I demanded, still looking away. "I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don't exist, not irritating me to death."**

**"That was for Tyler's sake, not mine. I had to give him his chance." He snickered.**

"Edward that is a very immature thing to have done" Esme scolded

"Sorry" I mumbled

**"You…" I gasped. I couldn't think of a bad enough word. It felt like the heat of my anger should physically burn him, but he only seemed more amused.**

**"And I'm not pretending you don't exist," he continued.**

**"So you are trying to irritate me to death? Since Tyler's van didn't do the job?"**

At that I scowled

**Anger flashed in his tawny eyes. His lips pressed into a hard line, all signs of humor gone.**

**"Bella, you are utterly absurd," he said, his low voice cold.**

**My palms tingled — I wanted so badly to hit something. I was surprised at myself. I was usually a nonviolent person.**

"Man that would be hilarious to see" Emmett said with a laugh

"Be quiet Emmett" I barked

**I turned my back and started to walk away.**

**"Wait," he called. I kept walking, sloshing angrily through the rain. But he was next to me, easily keeping pace.**

**"I'm sorry, that was rude," he said as we walked. I ignored him. "I'm not saying it isn't true," he continued, "but it was rude to say it, anyway."**

**"Why won't you leave me alone?" I grumbled.**

**"I wanted to ask you something, but you sidetracked me," he chuckled. He seemed to have recovered his good humor.**

**"Do you have a multiple personality disorder?" I asked severely.**

"That's not going to be fun, your going to be like a yoyo vampire with your changing moods" Jasper muttered with a sigh

**"You're doing it again."**

**I sighed." Fine then. What do you want to ask?"**

**"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday — you know, the day of the spring dance —"**

**"Are you trying to be funny?" I interrupted him, wheeling toward him. My face got drenched as I looked up at his expression.**

**His eyes were wickedly amused. "Will you please allow me to finish?"**

**I bit my lip and clasped my hands together, interlocking my fingers, so I couldn't do anything rash.**

"No do it do it" Emmett said chanting Bella on

"Emmett it's a a book she cant here you" I said with a laugh

**"I heard you say you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride."**

"What the hell am I thinking" I mumbled to myself what could I be thinking

**That was unexpected.**

**"What?" I wasn't sure what he was getting at.**

**"Do you want a ride to Seattle?"**

**"With who?" I asked, mystified.**

**"Myself, obviously." He enunciated every syllable, as if he were talking to someone mentally handicapped.**

**I was still stunned. "Why?"**

**"Well, I was planning to go to Seattle in the next few weeks, and, to be honest, I'm not sure if your truck can make it."**

"Are you sure that's the reason Eddie" Emmett said laughing

"If I say yes will you be quiet" I asked annoyed

"No probably not" he said with a shrug

**"My truck works just fine, thank you very much for your concern." I started to walk again, but I was too surprised to maintain the same level of anger.**

**"But can your truck make it there on one tank of gas?" He matched my pace again.**

**"I don't see how that is any of your business." Stupid, shiny Volvo owner.**

"Brilliant I am so going to use that" Emmett said laughing

"shut it" I quipped

**I realized I had stopped walking again. We were under the shelter of the cafeteria roof now, so I could more easily look at is face. Which certainly didn't help my clarity of thought.**

**"It would be more…prudent for you not to be my friend," he explained. "But I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella."**

**His eyes were gloriously intense as he uttered that last sentence, his voice smoldering. I couldn't remember how to breathe.**

"that might be a problem if it happens a lot" Carlisle mumbled thinking aloud

**"Will you go with me to Seattle?" he asked, still intense.**

**I couldn't speak yet, so I just nodded.**

**He smiled briefly, and then his face became serious.**

**"You really should stay away from me," he warned. "I'll see you in class."**

"Dam Edward what's with your signals first you hate her than you like her what is it" Jasper said curiosity fueling his questions

"I have no idea to be honest" I said and I was completely annoyed by that fact

**He turned abruptly and walked back the way we'd come.**

"And that's the end of the chapter" I said passing the book to Alice


	8. Blood Type

**"Blood Type," **Alice read

**I made my way to English in a daze. I didn't even realize when I first walked in that class had already started.**

**"Thank you for joining us, Miss Swan," Mr. Mason said in a disparaging tone. **

**I flushed and hurried to my seat**

"He really is an awful teacher" I muttered aware that this seemed to amuse my siblings to no end

**It wasn't till class ended that I realized Mike wasn't sitting in his usual seat next to me. I felt a twinge of guilt. But he and Eric both met me at the door as usual, so I figured I wasn't totally unforgiven. Mike seemed to become more himself as we walked, gaining enthusiasm as he talked about the weather report for this weekend. The rain was supposed to take a minor break, and so maybe his beach trip would be possible. I tried to sound eager, to make up for disappointing him yesterday.**

"That will only encourage him" I groaned

"What afraid of some competition Eddie boy" Emmett said with a laugh while a growl rose in my through

He faked gasped "you are aren't you" he said excitement lacing his tone

"You try it Emmett and ill tell you what Mike thinks of doing to Rosalie" I said smirking at the horrified face he made

"Truce" he said with a sigh

"Truce" I agreed eager to her more of Bella's thoughts

**It was hard; rain or no rain, it would still only be in the high forties, if we were lucky.**

**The rest of the morning passed in a blur. It was difficult to believe that I hadn't just imagined what Edward had said, and the way his eyes had looked. Maybe it was just a very convincing dream that I'd confused with reality. That seemed more probable than that I really appealed to him on any level.**

I sighed "she really doesn't think to highly of herself dose she"

**So I was impatient and frightened as Jessica and I entered the cafeteria. I wanted to see his face, to see if he'd gone back to the cold, indifferent person I'd known for the last several weeks. Or if, by some miracle, I'd really heard what I thought I'd heard this morning. Jessica babbled on and on about her dance plans — Lauren and Angela had asked the other boys and they were all going together — completely unaware of my inattention.**

**Disappointment flooded through me as my eyes unerringly focused on his table. The other four were there, but he was absent. **

"Your gone aren't you" Esme whispered causing me to cringe I hated to disappointing the woman I thought of as a mother

"its for the best" I said sighing again and quickly blocked my families thoughts from my head I didn't want to hear them just yet

**Had he gone home? I followed the still-babbling Jessica through the line, crushed. I'd lost my appetite — I bought nothing but a bottle of lemonade. I just wanted to go sit down and sulk.**

**"Edward Cullen is staring at you again," Jessica said, finally breaking through my abstraction with his name. "I wonder why he's sitting alone today."**

Emmett cocked his head to the side "what are you doing" his confusion evident

"I don't know" I said frustration leaking into my voice but also not knowing was very irritating considering it was my actions

"God Edward don't go all emotional on me its getting hard to ignore your emotions and listen to the book" jasper muttered

"Sorry" I said and sighed again

**My head snapped up. I followed her gaze to see Edward, smiling crookedly, staring at me from an empty table across the cafeteria from where he usually sat. Once he'd caught my eye, he raised one hand and motioned with his index finger for me to join him. As I stared in disbelief, he winked.**

I internally groaned this was only fuel to Emmett's fire and that was never a good thing I looked up from the table to realising my site had shifted and saw him smirking

"Emmett don't" I warned and I meant it

"Your no fun" he said pouting

**"Does he mean you?" Jessica asked with insulting astonishment in her voice.**

**"Maybe he needs help with his Biology homework," I muttered for her benefit.**

At that Emmett snorted "as if the no it all would need help" causing me to snort "with two medical degrees I would hope I don't need help"

"**Um, I'd better go see what he wants."**

**I could feel her staring after me as I walked away.**

**When I reached his table, I stood behind the chair across from him, unsure.**

**"Why don't you sit with me today?" he asked, smiling.**

**I sat down automatically, watching him with caution. He was still smiling. It was hard to believe that someone so beautiful could be real. I was afraid that he might disappear in a sudden puff of smoke, and I would wake up.**

"I may be a mythical creature but that won't happen" I said with a chuckle

**He seemed to be waiting for me to say something.**

**"This is different," I finally managed.**

**"Well…" He paused, and then the rest of the words followed in a rush. "I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."**

"Edward do you ever confuse your self" Alice said with a small huff

"Not before this book" I said causing her to smile slightly

**I waited for him to say something that made sense. The seconds ticked by.**

**"You know I don't have any idea what you mean," I eventually pointed out.**

**"I know." He smiled again, and then he changed the subject. "I think your friends are angry with me for stealing you."**

**"They'll survive." I could feel their stares boring into my back.**

**"I may not give you back, though," he said with a wicked glint in his eyes.**

"That's an idea" I muttered to myself to quietly for the others to hear

**I gulped.**

**He laughed. "You look worried."**

**"No," I said, but, ridiculously, my voice broke. ****"Surprised, actually… what brought all this on?"**

**"I told you — I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I'm giving up." He was still smiling, but his ocher eyes were serious.**

**"Giving up?" I repeated in confusion**

"Welcome to the club little sis" Emmett muttered

"Emmett stops talking to the book" Rosalie said jokingly with a small smile he only pouted it return

**"Yes — giving up trying to be good. I'm just going to do what I want now, and let the chips fall where they may." His smile faded as he explained, and a hard edge crept into his voice.**

"Edward since when have you been this careless" Rosalie hissed

I sighed "I have no idea what I could be thinking" I muttered as an explanation

**"You lost me again."**

**The breathtaking crooked smile reappeared. "I always say too much when I'm talking to you — that's one of the problems."**

**"Don't worry — I don't understand any of it," I said wryly.**

"Well at least that's a good thing" Rose muttered

Causing me to sigh again

_You're confusing us Edward _– jasper thought

"Don't worry Jazz I'm confusing myself to" I said what on earth could be running through my book self's brain

**"I'm counting on that."**

**"So, in plain English, are we friends now?"**

**"Friends…" he mused, dubious.**

**"Or not," I muttered.**

I frowned what was I trying to say there man this was getting annoying

**He grinned. "Well, we can try, I suppose. But I'm warning you now that I'm not a good friend for you."**

"Edward it might be easier to understand you if you tell us what you would be thinking in that situation" Carlisle said with a slight smile

"ok, well for a start I would be trying to warn her that I am dangerous and that she needs to stay away because I cant" I said with a sigh and I watched understanding flash through my families eyes

**Behind his smile, the warning was real.**

**"You say that a lot," I noted, trying to ignore the sudden trembling in my stomach and keep my voice even.**

**"Yes, because you're not listening to me. I'm still waiting for you to believe it. If you're smart, you'll avoid me."**

**"I think you've made your opinion on the subject of my intellect clear, too." My eyes narrowed.**

"She has a quite a temper" I said smiling slightly finally adding a another piece to the puzzle that is Isabella Swan

**He smiled apologetically.**

**"So, as long as I'm being… not smart, we'll try to be friends?" I struggled to sum up the confusing exchange.**

**"That sounds about right."**

**I looked down at my hands wrapped around the lemonade bottle, not sure what to do now.**

**"What are you thinking?" he asked curiously.**

"The million dollar question" I muttered causing Emmett to erupt into laughter I simply raised an eyebrow at my brother

"come on Eddie admit its kind of ironic you fall for te girl whose thoughts you cant read" he said causing my siblings to join in I simply huffed in annoyance

**I looked up into his deep gold eyes, became befuddled, and, as usual, blurted out the truth.**

**"I'm trying to figure out what you are."**

"and she will in time" I sighed at the truth of my words it simply is impossible not to believe that she wouldn't it would be the only way I could be with her if she knew and wasn't repulsed which wasn't likely

**His jaw tightened, but he kept his smile in place with some effort.**

**"Are you having any luck with that?" he asked in an offhand tone.**

**"Not too much," I admitted.**

**He chuckled. "What are your theories?"**

**I blushed. I had been vacillating during the last month between Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker. **

At that Emmett erupted into laughter "she thinks your a superhero" he gasped out causing Jasper to join him in hysteria

The only thought me , Rose and Alice had while watching them was the same

_Idiots_

**There was no way I was going to own up to that.**

**"Won't you tell me?" he asked, tilting his head to one side with a shockingly tempting smile. I shook my head. **

**"Too embarrassing."**

**"That's really frustrating, you know," he complained**

"Bad word choice" Alice muttered

**"No," I disagreed quickly, my eyes narrowing, "I can't imagine why that would be frustrating at all — just because someone refuses to tell you what they're thinking, even if all the while they're making cryptic little remarks specifically designed to keep you up at night wondering what they could possibly mean… now, why would that be frustrating?"**

**He grimaced.**

**"Or better," I continued, the pent-up annoyance flowing freely now, "say that person also did a wide range of bizarre things — from saving your life under impossible circumstances one day to treating you like a pariah the next, and he never explained any of that, either, even after he promised. That, also, would be very non-frustrating."**

I smiled slightly so I was right "she dose have a temper" I muttered

**"You've got a bit of a temper, don't you?"**

"Man that's going to get annoying if you keep repeating yourself" Emmett said with a huff causing me to chuckle slightly

**"I don't like double standards."**

**We stared at each other, unsmiling.**

**He glanced over my shoulder, and then, unexpectedly, he snickered.**

**"What?"**

**"Your boyfriend seems to think I'm being unpleasant to you — he's debating whether or not to come break up our fight." He snickered again.**

"Mike" I muttered with a hiss causing Emmett to laugh boisterously

"Jealous much" he said through his laughter I simply ignored him

**"I don't know who you're talking about," I said frostily. "But I'm sure you're wrong, anyway."**

**"I'm not. I told you, most people are easy to read."**

**"Except me, of course."**

**"Yes. Except for you." His mood shifted suddenly; his eyes turned brooding. "I wonder why that is."**

"That is a good question" Carlisle muttered "I truly wonder why her out of every one it's her that it happens to"

"Its because she was meant for Edward and she was obviously meant to one of our family" Alice said with a small smile and Esme sighed a content sigh

**I had to look away from the intensity of his stare. I concentrated on unscrewing the lid of my lemonade. I took a swig, staring at the table without seeing it.**

**"Aren't you hungry?" he asked, distracted.**

**"No." I didn't feel like mentioning that my stomach was already full — of butterflies. "You?" I looked at the empty table in front of him.**

**"No, I'm not hungry." I didn't understand his expression — it looked like he was enjoying some private joke.**

"She's moor observant than I thought" Jasper muttered and I nodded in agreement

"For a human she sure is good at seeing the difficult picture and at figuring things out" Jasper said continuing his rambling in side his head

**"Can you do me a favor?" I asked after a second of hesitation.**

**He was suddenly wary. "That depends on what you want."**

**"It's not much," I assured him.**

**He waited, guarded but curious.**

**"I just wondered… if you could warn me beforehand the next time you decide to ignore me for my own good. Just so I'm prepared." I looked at the lemonade bottle as I spoke, tracing the circle of the opening with my pinkie finger.**

**"That sounds fair." He was pressing his lips together to keep from laughing when I looked up.**

**"Thanks."**

**"Then can I have one answer in return?" he demanded.**

**"One."**

**"Tell me one theory."**

"She shouldn't have left that open" Emmett muttered causing me and the others to smile.

**Whoops. "Not that one."**

**"You didn't qualify, you just promised one answer," he reminded me.**

**"And you've broken promises yourself," I reminded him back.**

I sighed "she's got me there"

"yes but shell be more inclined to answer than you were" Esme said with a reassuring smile

I gave her a slight smile back and said "maybe"

**"Just one theory — I won't laugh."**

**"Yes, you will." I was positive about that.**

**He looked down, and then glanced up at me through his long black lashes, his ocher eyes scorching.**

**"Please?" he breathed, leaning toward me.**

**I blinked, my mind going blank. Holy crow, how did he do that?**

At that Emmett's boisterous laugh rang through the room "nice trick Eddie" he snickered

I simply growled then sighed he's only trying to get a reaction out of you don't let it happen I thought trying to calm my self

**"Err, what?" I asked, dazed.**

**"Please tell me just one little theory." His eyes still smoldered at me.**

**"Um, well, bitten by a radioactive spider?" Was he a hypnotist, too? Or was I just a hopeless pushover?**

"It's most likely the latter" Jasper muttered with a slight smile causing me to chuckle

**"That's not very creative," he scoffed.**

**"I'm sorry, that's all I've got," I said, miffed.**

**"You're not even close," he teased.**

**"No spiders?"**

**"Nope."**

**"And no radioactivity?"**

**"None."**

**"Dang," I sighed.**

**"Kryptonite doesn't bother me, either," he chuckled.**

"Trying to avoid the whole bitting issue were you son" Carlisle said his thoughts going over my reactions through out this book

"I don't want to lie to her so I must be avoiding subjects that make it impossible to do so, well at least until she figures it out" I said trying to help his thoughts

**"You're not supposed to laugh, remember?"**

**He struggled to compose his face.**

**"I'll figure it out eventually," I warned him.**

"I don't doubt it" I said my mood turning sour at the thought of her running away screaming

"Shell love you all the same Edward don't doubt it" Esme said walking over to me and pulling me into a tight embrace

"Thanks mom" I whispered into her ear

**"I wish you wouldn't try." He was serious again.**

**"Because… ?"**

**"What if I'm not a superhero? What if I'm the bad guy?" He smiled playfully, but his eyes were impenetrable.**

"Edward you are not bad don't think like that" Esme scolded

**"Oh," I said, as several things he'd hinted fell suddenly into place. "I see."**

**"Do you?" His face was abruptly severe, as if he were afraid that he'd accidentally said too much.**

**"You're dangerous?" I guessed, my pulse quickening as I intuitively realized the truth of my own words.**

**He was dangerous. He'd been trying to tell me that all along.**

**He just looked at me, eyes full of some emotion I couldn't comprehend.**

**"But not bad," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, I don't believe that you're bad."**

"Smart girl" Esme said with a smile

"Yeah to bad we can't say Eddies smart can we" Emmett said laughing

"Emmett stop it for at least a few paragraphs or you will regret it" I threatened

"Fine" he pouted like a kid who had his favourite toy taken from him, which to him it was a similar the case.

**"You're wrong." His voice was almost inaudible. **

**He looked down, stealing my bottle lid and then spinning it on its side between his fingers. I stared at him, wondering why I didn't feel afraid. **

"Because her love for you has dulled her survival instincts" Jasper said a little bit of confusion liking into his tone

"Jazz what are you thinking" Alice saked putting her hand on his

"Nothing really but it jus seems as if her instincts weren't as sharp as most other humans from the beginning and they have only seemed to dull, but like I said its nothing really I'm just confused to why that would bee" he said with a small shrug

**He meant what he was saying — that was obvious. But I just felt anxious, on edge… and, more than anything else, fascinated. The same way I always felt when I was near him.**

**The silence lasted until I noticed that the cafeteria was almost empty.**

**I jumped to my feet. "We're going to be late."**

**"I'm not going to class today," he said, twirling the lid so fast it was just a blur.**

**"Why not?"**

**"It's healthy to ditch class now and then." He smiled up at me, but his eyes were still troubled.**

"we must be doing blood typing in Biology" I said sighing but also finally understanding the tittle of the chapter

"what's wrong Eddie don't like missing your time with Bella" Emmett said snickering

"no so let it go Emmett" I hissed out

**"Well, I'm going," I told him. I was far too big a coward to risk getting caught.**

**He turned his attention back to his makeshift top. "I'll see you later, then."**

**I hesitated, torn, but then the first bell sent me hurrying out the door — with a last glance confirming that he hadn't moved a centimeter.**

**As I half-ran to class, my head was spinning faster than the bottle cap. So few questions had been answered in comparison to how many new questions had been raised. At least the rain had stopped.**

**I was lucky; Mr. Banner wasn't in the room yet when I arrived. I settled quickly into my seat, aware that both Mike and Angela were staring at me. Mike looked resentful; Angela looked surprised, and slightly awed.**

"Mike must still have a crush on her" Emmett said with a snicker

"I wouldn't wish him on anyone" Rose said adding a theatrical shudder to get to her point across

I chuckled at my sibling's theatrics.

**Mr. Banner came in the room then, calling the class to order. He was juggling a few small cardboard boxes in his arms. He put them down on Mike's table, telling him to start passing them around the class.**

**"Okay, guys, I want you all to take one piece from each box," he said as he produced a pair of rubber gloves from the pocket of his lab jacket and pulled them on. The sharp sound as the gloves snapped into place against his wrists seemed ominous to me. **

**"The first should be an indicator card," he went on, grabbing a white card with four squares marked on it and displaying it. **

**"The second is a four-pronged applicator —" he held up something that looked like a nearly toothless hair pick "— and the third is a sterile micro-lancet." He held up a small piece of blue plastic and split it open. The barb was invisible from this distance, but my stomach flipped.**

I smirked only Bella would be made sick by the sight of blood and not even her own blood.

"Man Edward you sure can pick em" Emmett said laughing

**"I'll be coming around with a dropper of water to prepare your cards, so please don't start until I get to you." He began at Mike's table again, carefully putting one drop of water in each of the four squares.**

**"Then I want you to carefully prick your finger with the lancet…" He grabbed Mike's hand and jabbed the spike into the tip of Mike's middle finger. Oh no. Clammy moisture broke out across my forehead.**

I groaned at hearing this but it only cause Alice and Rose to laugh but I noticed Jasper causes about being in school while blood typing was going on.

**"Put a small drop of blood on each of the prongs." He demonstrated, squeezing Mike's finger till the blood flowed. I swallowed convulsively, my stomach heaving.**

**"And then apply it to the card," he finished, holding up the dripping red card for us to see. I closed my eyes, trying to hear through the ringing in my ears.**

**"The Red Cross is having a blood drive in Port Angeles next weekend, so I thought you should all know your blood type." He sounded proud of himself. **

**Those of you who aren't eighteen yet will need a parent's permission — I have slips at my desk."**

**He continued through the room with his water drops. I put my cheek against the cool black tabletop and tried to hold on to my consciousness. All around me I could hear squeals, complaints, and giggles as my classmates skewered their fingers. I breathed slowly in and out through my mouth.**

"That's good," Carlisle commented "she seams coherent she might be able to make it to the nurse with out fainting"

I sighed a little; well at least I had a while to prepare for this

**"Bella, are you all right?" Mr. Banner asked. His voice was close to my head, and it sounded alarmed.**

**"I already know my blood type, Mr. Banner," I said in a weak voice. I was afraid to raise my head.**

**"Are you feeling faint?"**

**"Yes, sir," I muttered, internally kicking myself for not ditching when I had the chance.**

**"Can someone take Bella to the nurse, please?" he called.**

**I didn't have to look up to know that it would be Mike who volunteered.**

I sighed even though I dislike the boy I cant dispute that even the insufferable boy would be better for Bella than I.

"Edward don't even think what your thinking" Alice growled

I healed up my hands in defence and put on a innocent face "Alice what are you talking about" I kept my tone carefully confused

her brow creased _ you know what I am talking about and she would not be better if you never meet _ she all but shrieked in her mind I merely ignored her

**"Can you walk?" Mr. Banner asked.**

**"Yes," I whispered. Just let me get out of here, I thought. I'll crawl.**

We all laughed a little at that

**Mike seemed eager as he put his arm around my waist and pulled my arm over his shoulder. **

Emmett wiggled his eyebrow at that

"Emmett don't" I said my voice cold

**I leaned against him heavily on the way out of the classroom.**

**Mike towed me slowly across campus. When we were around the edge of the cafeteria, out of sight of building four in case Mr. Banner was watching, I stopped.**

**"Just let me sit for a minute, please?" I begged.**

**He helped me sit on the edge of the walk.**

**"And whatever you do, keep your hand in your pocket," I warned. I was still so dizzy. I slumped over on my side, putting my cheek against the freezing, damp cement of the sidewalk, closing my eyes. That seemed to help a little.**

**"Wow, you're green, Bella," Mike said nervously.**

**"Bella?" a different voice called from the distance.**

"That's probably Edward" Alice said with a smirk

**No! Please let me be imagining that horribly familiar voice.**

"Told you," Alice sang

**"What's wrong — is she hurt?" His voice was closer now, and he sounded upset. **

"Well I would be if I saw her lying on the floor not moving" I said with and indifferent shrug

**I wasn't imagining it. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to die. Or, at the very least, not to throw up.**

**Mike seemed stressed.**

**"I think she's fainted. I don't know what happened, she didn't even stick her finger."**

"She faints at the smell of blood idiot" Emmett muttered and I smiled slightly he was becoming almost as protective of Bella as I was, he already saw her as a little sister.

**"Bella." Edward's voice was right beside me, relieved now. **

**"Can you hear me?"**

**"No," I groaned. "Go away."**

I and the others laughed at Bella's random nature

**He chuckled.**

**"I was taking her to the nurse," Mike explained in a defensive tone, "but she wouldn't go any farther."**

**"I'll take her," Edward said. I could hear the smile still in his voice. "You can go back to class."**

**"No," Mike protested. "I'm supposed to do it."**

**Suddenly the sidewalk disappeared from beneath me. My eyes flew open in shock. Edward had scooped me up in his arms, as easily as if I weighed ten pounds instead of a hundred and ten.**

**"Put me down!" Please, please let me not vomit on him. **

I cringed slightly and I looked up in time to see the others do it too

"Ewww, she had better not ruin your outfit if she dose" Alice huffed a slight grimace on her face

**He was walking before I was finished talking.**

**"Hey!" Mike called, already ten paces behind us.**

**Edward ignored him. "You look awful," he told me, grinning.**

**"Put me back on the sidewalk," I moaned. The rocking movement of his walk was not helping. He held me away from his body, gingerly, supporting all my weight with just his arms — it didn't seem to bother him.**

I rolled my eyes

"well at least she doesn't seem o remember you lifted a van off her" Emmett laughed

I quickly looked away from his and Roses direction but I could feel her glare burning a hole through my face

**"So you faint at the sight of blood?" he asked. This seemed to entertain him.**

I chuckled and muttered "only Bella" causing Emmett to laugh boisterously

**I didn't answer. I closed my eyes again and fought the nausea with all my strength, clamping my lips together.**

**"And not even your own blood," he continued, enjoying himself.**

**I don't know how he opened the door while carrying me, but it was suddenly warm, so I knew we were inside.**

**"Oh my," I heard a female voice gasp.**

I groaned if miss cope saw me walking in with a girl in my arms I can only imagine the type of scenario that would be going through her head.

Causing every one to chuckle

**"She fainted in Biology," Edward explained.**

**I opened my eyes. I was in the office, and Edward was striding past the front counter toward the nurse's door. Ms. Cope, the redheaded front office receptionist, ran ahead of him to hold it open. The grandmotherly nurse looked up from a novel, astonished, as Edward swung me into the room and placed me gently on the crackly paper that covered the brown vinyl mattress on the one cot. Then he moved to stand against the wall as far across the narrow room as possible. His eyes were bright, excited.**

**"She's just a little faint," he reassured the startled nurse. "They're blood typing in Biology."**

**The nurse nodded sagely. "There's always one."**

Jasper and Emmett laughed and I gave a chuckle at the fact that it had to be her

**He muffled a snicker.**

**"Just lie down for a minute, honey; it'll pass."**

**"I know," I sighed. The nausea was already fading.**

**"Does this happen a lot?" she asked.**

**"Sometimes," I admitted. Edward coughed to hide another laugh.**

**"You can go back to class now," she told him.**

**"I'm supposed to stay with her." He said this with such assured authority that — even though she pursed her lips — the nurse didn't argue it further.**

"Now why can't that work on Bella" I half whined half huffed

"Because if she did she wouldn't have got you interested in her" Alice retorted and stuck out her tong

**"I'll go get you some ice for your forehead, dear," she said to me, and then bustled out of the room.**

**"You were right," I moaned, letting my eyes close.**

**"I usually am — but about what in particular this time?"**

"Know it all" I heard Emmett mutter causing me to smirk slightly

**"Ditching is healthy." I practiced breathing evenly.**

**"You scared me for a minute there," he admitted after a pause. His tone made it sound like he was confessing a humiliating weakness. **

I frowned a little at that, true I didn't like to show weakness but that didn't mean I saw it as a bad thing

**"I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods."**

**"Ha ha." I still had my eyes closed, but I was feeling more normal every minute.**

**"Honestly — I've seen corpses with better color. I was concerned that I might have to avenge your murder."**

"And I would have" I muttered darkly just the thought sending clashing waves of pain and anger through me

**"Poor Mike. I'll bet he's mad."**

**"He absolutely loathes me," Edward said cheerfully.**

**"You can't know that," I argued, but then I wondered suddenly if he could.**

"She figured that out to" Rose said in slight awe

"She really is bright, thinking out side the box" Carlisle muttered happily

"What do you expect it's Bella" I satiated proudly

**"I saw his face — I could tell."**

"that's probably true anyone would be able to tell by looking at his face" I said smiling happily

**"How did you see me? I thought you were ditching." I was almost fine now, though the queasiness would probably pass faster if I'd eaten something for lunch. On the other hand, maybe it was lucky my stomach was empty.**

**"I was in my car, listening to a CD." Such a normal response — it surprised me.**

"No it shouldn't have, I can be normal on a rare occasion" Emmett said impersonating me

I growled slightly

**I heard the door and opened my eyes to see the nurse with a cold compress in her hand.**

**"Here you go, dear." She laid it across my forehead. "You're looking better," she added.**

**"I think I'm fine," I said, sitting up. Just a little ringing in my ears, no spinning. The mint green walls stayed where they should.**

"That's good it seams like she is over her fainting spell" I muttered and saw Carlisle nod slightly agreeing with me

**I could see she was about to make me lie back down, but the door opened just then, and Ms. Cope stuck her head in.**

**"We've got another one," she warned.**

**I hopped down to free up the cot for the next invalid.**

**I handed the compress back to the nurse. "Here, I don't need this."**

**And then Mike staggered through the door, now supporting a sallow-looking Lee Stephens, another boy in our Biology class. Edward and I drew back against the wall to give them room.**

"No" I whispered not now I pleaded to no one

"What" Emmett said confused

"Emmett what's the worst thing that could be spiled in front of anyone of us" I hissed

"Blood," he muttered "only around Bella would something like this happen"

**"Oh no," Edward muttered. "Go out to the office, Bella."**

**I looked up at him, bewildered.**

**"Trust me — go."**

**I spun and caught the door before it closed, darting out of the infirmary. I could feel Edward right behind me.**

"I can't believe she listened to me" I muttered

**"You actually listened to me." He was stunned.**

**"I smelled the blood," I said, **

"Well at least are theory was confirmed, she can smell blood" Carlisle said with a smile

"Your only smiling because you think shell say what it smells like to a human" I said with a frustrated huff

**Wrinkling my nose. Lee wasn't sick from watching other people like me.**

**"People can't smell blood," he contradicted.**

**"Well, I can — that's what makes me sick. It smells like rust… and salt."**

I sighed well at least this seamed to intrigue Carlisle

**He was staring at me with an unfathomable expression.**

"Wondering if she's human" I explained seeing the confused faces of my family

**"What?" I asked.**

**"It's nothing."**

**Mike came through the door then, glancing from me to Edward. The look he gave Edward confirmed what Edward had said about loathing. He looked back at me, his eyes glum.**

"Jealous of Edward no doubt" Jasper said with a smirk

**"You look better," he accused.**

**"Just keep your hand in your pocket," I warned him again.**

**"It's not bleeding anymore," he muttered. "Are you going back to class?"**

"Idiot" Everyone but Carlisle and Esme muttered in union

**"Are you kidding? I'd just have to turn around and come back."**

**"Yeah, I guess… So are you going this weekend? To the beach?" While he spoke, he flashed another glare toward Edward, who was standing against the cluttered counter, motionless as a sculpture, staring off into space.**

"Listening to his thoughts" Emmett questioned

I shrugged it was probably true anyway

**I tried to sound as friendly as possible. "Sure, I said I was in."**

**"We're meeting at my dad's store, at ten." His eyes flickered to Edward again, wondering if he was giving out too much information. His body language made it clear that it wasn't an open invitation.**

**"I'll be there," I promised.**

**"I'll see you in Gym, then," he said, moving uncertainly toward the door.**

**"See you," I replied. He looked at me once more, his round face slightly pouting, and then as he walked slowly through the door, his shoulders slumped. A swell of sympathy washed over me. I pondered seeing his disappointed face again… in Gym.**

Emmett laughed at hearing this

**"Gym," I groaned.**

**"I can take care of that." I hadn't noticed Edward moving to my side, but he spoke now in my ear. "Go sit down and look pale," he muttered.**

**That wasn't a challenge; I was always pale, and my recent swoon had left a light sheen of sweat on my face. I sat in one of the creaky folding chairs and rested my head against the wall with my eyes closed.**

**Fainting spells always exhausted me.**

**I heard Edward speaking softly at the counter.**

**"Ms. Cope?"**

**"Yes?" I hadn't heard her return to her desk.**

**"Bella has Gym next hour, and I don't think she feels well enough. Actually, I was thinking I should take her home now. Do you think you could excuse her from class?" His voice was like melting honey. I could imagine how much more overwhelming his eyes would be.**

"She won't refuse me" I said with a laugh

**"Do you need to be excused, too, Edward?" Ms. Cope fluttered. Why couldn't I do that?**

"Please don't" I muttered

"Yeah be your self Eddie likes you better that way any way" Emmett said smiling

**"No, I have Mrs. Goff, she won't mind."**

**"Okay, it's all taken care of. You feel better, Bella," she called to me. I nodded weakly, hamming it up just a bit.**

**"Can you walk, or do you want me to carry you again?" With his back to the receptionist, his expression became sarcastic.**

Emmett pictured me caring her out of the office and her trying to get down causing him and me to laugh at the horrified look he pictured she would were. But I couldn't help feel that the person who he pictured as Bella not nearly as good as the real one had to be

**"I'll walk."**

**I stood carefully, and I was still fine. He held the door for me, his smile polite but his eyes mocking. I walked out into the cold, fine mist that had just begun to fall. It felt nice — the first time I'd enjoyed the constant moisture falling out of the sky — as it washed my face clean of the sticky perspiration.**

**"Thanks," I said as he followed me out. "It's almost worth getting sick to miss Gym."**

**"Anytime." He was staring straight forward, squinting into the rain.**

**"So are you going? This Saturday, I mean?" **

"aww she's asking you out" Emmett crooned

I quickly ducked my head in embarrassment

**I was hoping he would, though it seemed unlikely. I couldn't picture him loading up to carpool with the rest of the kids from school; he didn't belong in the same world.**

Jasper nodded "it is so strange how with out even knowing it she guesses things no other normal human would"

"It is strange, but Jasper nothing we have heard about Bella is normal" Esme said smiling slightly

**But just hoping that he might gave me the first twinge of enthusiasm I'd felt for the outing.**

**"Where are you all going, exactly?" He was still looking ahead, expressionless.**

**"Down to La Push, to First Beach." **

I sighed "well there goes that plan"

"Yeah I don't think the mutts would like any of us there especially with the treaty" Rose said her face controlled in a grimace but I couldn't blame her those dam dog did stink soothing awful

"** I studied his face, trying to read it. His eyes seemed to narrow infinitesimally.**

**He glanced down at me from the corner of his eye, smiling wryly. "I really don't think I was invited."**

Emmett grinned "that's not going to stop her; she's just as persistent as you are"

**I sighed. "I just invited you."**

**"Let's you and I not push poor Mike any further this week. We don't want him to snap." His eyes danced; he was enjoying the idea more than he should.**

"Edward" Esme said in warning

I shrugged innocently; I didn't mind that idea at all

**"Mike-schmike." I muttered, preoccupied by the way he'd said "you and I." I liked it more than I should.**

You and me both I though but I still have months to wait for her I thought miserably

"Edward what's wrong" Esme asked her tone sad

"Nothing, I was just thinking how long I have to wait for her to finally get here"

For some reason it cause both her and Alice to beam

**We were near the parking lot now. I veered left, toward my truck. Something caught my jacket, yanking me back.**

"Hey Edward what are you doing" Emmett asked

"Emmett I don't know" even to myself my voice sounded frustrated

**"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, outraged. He was gripping a fistful of my jacket in one hand.**

**I was confused. "I'm going home."**

**"Didn't you hear me promise to take you safely home? Do you think I'm going to let you drive in your condition?" His voice was still indignant.**

**"What condition?"**

"Son I doubt shell like that" Carlisle said with a chuckle

I sighed he was most likely right but I know that I probably want to spend more time with her

""**And what about my truck?" I complained.**

**"I'll have Alice drop it off after school." He was towing me toward his car now, pulling me by my jacket.**

"Yay I get to see where she lives" Alice said excitedly

I smiled slightly

**It was all I could do to keep from falling backward. He'd probably just drag me along anyway if I did.**

She knows me so well with out having to spend much time with me this thought made me smile

**"Let go!" I insisted. He ignored me. I staggered along sideways across the wet sidewalk until we reached the Volvo. Then he finally freed me — I stumbled against the passenger door.**

**"You are so pushy!" I grumbled.**

**"It's open," was all he responded. He got in the driver's side.**

**"I am perfectly capable of driving myself home!" I stood by the car, fuming. It was raining harder now, and I'd never put my hood up, so my hair was dripping down my back.**

**He lowered the automatic window and leaned toward me across the seat. "Get in, Bella."**

**I didn't answer. I was mentally calculating my chances of reaching the truck before he could catch me. **

"not very good" I said smirking

"yeah and with her inability to not to fall ill say it looks better than not very good" Jasper said smirking

**I had to admit, they weren't good.**

"Ha even she know what her chances are" Emmett said laughing

**"I'll just drag you back," he threatened, guessing my plan.**

"Looks like I can read her expression" I said with a smirk it would be the closest thing to her thoughts that I could get

expressions" he concluded smiling.

**I tried to maintain what dignity I could as I got into his car. I wasn't very successful — I looked like a half-drowned cat and my boots squeaked.**

**"This is completely unnecessary," I said stiffly.**

**He didn't answer. He fiddled with the controls, turning the heater up and the music down. As he pulled out of the parking lot, I was preparing to give him the silent treatment — my face in full pout mode — but then I recognized the music playing, and my curiosity got the better of my intentions.**

**"Clair de Lune?" I asked, surprised.**

"Ahh a fan of the classics" I said smiling she really was perfect for me

"She really is a strange girl I thought no one her age listened to that type of music anymore" Esme said smiling

"Yes but Bella doesn't act her age she is very mature for it really" Carlisle said smiling also _she really is your perfect match Edward_ Carlisle thought causing me to beam

**"You know Debussy?" He sounded surprised, too.**

**"Not well," I admitted. "My mother plays a lot of classical music around the house — I only know my favorites."**

At this I continued to smile

**"It's one of my favorites, too." He stared out through the rain, lost in thought.**

**I listened to the music, relaxing against the light gray leather seat. It was impossible not to respond to the familiar, soothing melody. The rain blurred everything outside the window into gray and green smudges. I began to realize we were driving very fast; the car moved so steadily, so evenly, though, I didn't feel the speed. Only the town flashing by gave it away.**

**"What is your mother like?" he asked me suddenly.**

**I glanced over to see him studying me with curious eyes.**

**"She looks a lot like me, but she's prettier," I said. He raised his eyebrows. **

"I doubt that" I mumbled

"Wait I think we should have a picture of her" Alice said suddenly putting the book down and was gone,

A few minutes latter she returned with a sketch of both Bella and her mother as I Saw her picture I could imagine her deep brown eyes and was lost for a second till Alice started reading again

"Wait!" Alice yelled.

"Stop for a second" she added and left.

"Should we wait?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, she won't be long" Jasper said. He was right, 3 minutes later Alice came home with a tape.

"This is of Bella and her mother, it's the most resent one" She said as she put it in.

A video of Bella's mom, René, came up as she was cleaning the house and then it focused on a girl that was probably 16 years old vacuuming.

"_Mom, why are you filming spring cleaning?" Bella asked._

"_We need to do something Bella" René said_

"_Ugh, mom, you do realize that you just over filled the washer, right?" Bella asked with wide eyes._

"_Mom, watch out!" She yelled as she went to start cleaning all the bubbles that were falling out.  
As soon as she finished cleaning and everything was dry she sighed and walked forward but tripped on her feet._

"_Bella, watch out, your head!" Her mom yelled and the video went off._

"Oh my god!" Emmett yelled as he was booming with laughter.

"I can't believe she feel on plane floor" Jasper said shaking his head

"She is such a klutz" Rose said shaking her head.

"What was she wearing?!" Alice asked outraged at her clothes.

"Yeah, and you can see she's the responsible one" Carlisle said

"She's very pretty, what do you think Edward?" Esme asked looking at Edward who had not moved since the video started.

"Yeah, she is" he said and she beamed.

"Ok, let's keep reading" Edward said.

**"I have too much Charlie in me. She's more outgoing than I am, and braver. **

"I doubt that" I said my doubt clear in my voice

**She's irresponsible and slightly eccentric, and she's a very unpredictable cook. She's my best friend." **

"She misses her" Esme said her voice sad "and I bet her mother misses her to"

I sighed Bella has so much to live for I couldn't dam her to this life n if I had to I would leave before she came I quickly changed my plan proses as to confuse Alice

**I stopped. Talking about her was making me depressed.**

**"How old are you, Bella?" His voice sounded frustrated for some reason I couldn't imagine. **

"She really doesn't act her age" I said trying to ignore Alice's worried glance

**He'd stopped the car, and I realized we were at Charlie's house already. The rain was so heavy that I could barely see the house at all. It was like the car was submerged under a river.**

**"I'm seventeen," I responded, a little confused.**

You shouldn't be your so mature for your age I thought to myself

**"You don't seem seventeen."**

**His tone was reproachful; it made me laugh.**

**"What?" he asked, curious again.**

**"My mom always says I was born thirty-five years old and that I get more middle-aged every year." I laughed, and then sighed. **

**"Well, someone has to be the adult." I paused for a second. **

**"You don't seem much like a junior in high school yourself," I noted.**

**He made a face and changed the subject.**

"That's because he was born in 1901 and is about one hundred years old I wonder if she would date you if she knew how old you were" Emmett said laughing

**"So why did your mother marry Phil?"**

**I was surprised he would remember the name; I'd mentioned it just once, almost two months ago. It took me a moment to answer.**

"Vampire memory we remember everything that happens in detail" Carlisle explained as if Bella could hear

**"My mother… she's very young for her age. I think Phil makes her feel even younger. At any rate, she's crazy about him." I shook my head. The attraction was a mystery to me.**

**"Do you approve?" he asked.**

**"Does it matter?" I countered. "I want her to be happy… and he is who she wants."**

Once again proving to me she is better of not knowing me she deserves so much better a life and kids things I could never give her

**"That's very generous… I wonder," he mused.**

**"What?"**

**"Would she extend the same courtesy to you, do you think? No matter who your choice was?" He was suddenly intent, his eyes searching mine.**

"you want to marry her" Alice shrieked excitedly

"Alice it was merely a question please don't look to much into it" I said exhausted though admittedly the idea had appeal I would never act on it for I coud never give her the life she deserved

**"I-I think so," I stuttered. "But she's the parent, after all. It's a little bit different."**

**"No one too scary then," he teased.**

**I grinned in response. "What do you mean by scary? Multiple facial piercings and extensive tattoos?"**

"Yeah or a vampire, you pick" Emmett said calmly then broke out into laughter

**"That's one definition, I suppose."**

**"What's your definition?"**

"Vampire" Everyone but me said in answer

**But he ignored my question and asked me another. "Do you think that I could be scary?" He raised one eyebrow, and the faint trace of a smile lightened his face.**

**I thought for a moment, wondering whether the truth or a lie would go over better. I decided to go with the truth. "Hmmm… I think you could be, if you wanted to."**

**"Are you frightened of me now?" The smile vanished, and his heavenly face was suddenly serious.**

If only she would be and would stay away I believe it's too late for me but not for her I thought miserably

**"No." But I answered too quickly. The smile returned.**

**"So, now are you going to tell me about your family?" I asked to distract him. "It's got to be a much more interesting story than mine."**

**He was instantly cautious. **

"Good" Rose said "at lest you are thinking of the rest of us"

**"What do you want to know?"**

**"The Cullen's adopted you?" I verified.**

**"Yes."**

**I hesitated for a moment. "What happened to your parents?"**

**"They died many years ago." His tone was matter-of-fact.**

"yes many years but about one hundred years ago to be seme exact"

"**"I'm sorry," I mumbled.**

**"I don't really remember them that clearly. Carlisle and Esme have been my parents for a long time now."**

**"And you love them." It wasn't a question. It was obvious in the way he spoke of them.**

As I looked over to Seme and Carlisle I could she them both looking Happy and smiling at all of us

**"Yes." He smiled. "I couldn't imagine two better people."**

"Thank you son" Carlisle said and got up and gave me a hug

"Not a problem Dad it's the truth" I said with a smile and I Gave Esm a hug too

**"You're very lucky."**

**"I know I am."**

**"And your brother and sister?"**

**He glanced at the clock on the dashboard.**

**"My brother and sister, and Jasper and Rosalie for that matter, are going to be quite upset if they have to stand in the rain waiting for me."**

"were probably ran home by now" Emmett said

While Rosalie scolded

**"Oh, sorry, I guess you have to go." I didn't want to get out of the car.**

**"And you probably want your truck back before Chief Swan gets home, so you don't have to tell him about the Biology incident." He grinned at me.**

**"I'm sure he's already heard. There are no secrets in Forks." I sighed.**

**He laughed, and there was an edge to his laughter.**

"Just one" I said calmly

"But not IN La Push, there they know what we are" Carlisle said a wistful note to his voice

And I laughed at his thoughts

"What's funny Edward" Emmett whined

"Carlisle a little disappointed he couldn't find out more about the wolfs seeing as the line has died off" I said though my laughter causing Emmett to laugh to

"But I must admit it would be interesting to get to know about them and how they are able to change shape " Carlisle said his voice wistful

**"Have fun at the beach… good weather for sunbathing." He glanced out at the sheeting rain.**

**"Won't I see you tomorrow?"**

**"No. Emmett and I are starting the weekend early."**

**"What are you going to do?" A friend could ask that, right? I hoped the disappointment wasn't too apparent in my voice.**

**"We're going to be hiking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, just south of Rainier."**

"Yeah Bear's" Emmett said pumping his fist into the Air

"Emmett it's not for three months that we can hunt bears" I said smirking

Causing him to pout like a child going to the dentist

**I remembered Charlie had said the Cullen's went camping frequently.**

**"Oh, well, have fun." I tried to sound enthusiastic. I don't think I fooled him, though. A smile was playing around the edges of his lips.**

**"Will you do something for me this weekend?" He turned to look me straight in the face, utilizing the full power of his burning gold eyes.**

"What are you going to ask Edward" Alice said causally

"Alice I have as much idea about this as you do" I said frustrated not being able to understand my own thoughts or Bella's was getting to me

**I nodded helplessly.**

**"Don't be offended, but you seem to be one of those people who just attract accidents like a magnet. So… try not to fall into the ocean or get run over or anything, all right?" He smiled crookedly.**

"Edward" Esme scolded

"But mom you have to admit it could happen Especially to Bella" I said slightly worried

**The helplessness had faded as he spoke. I glared at him.**

**"I'll see what I can do," I snapped as I jumped out into the rain. I slammed the door behind me with excessive force.**

"her temper got the best of her" Emmett said laughing

"Alright so who wants to read next" Alice asked and almost all our hand shot up

"Here Carlisle you can read" She said handing the book over

"Thank you Alice and the next chapter is"………

* * *

Well hope you liked it and I apologise to my fans but I am swamped with school so I can only post while on holidays also me and My beater **JESS1177** hoped you liked this please if you have any suggestions on whose POV I should change it to review it to me or PM me and let me know what you think

_**Lots of love Bella-30**_


	9. Scary Stories

**Chapter Six Scary Stories**

**"Scary Stories," **Carlisle read.

"I don't think we'll like this" I muttered to myself ignoring the others looks of apprehension

**As I sat in my room, trying to concentrate on the third act of Macbeth, I was really listening for my truck. I would have thought, even over the pounding rain, I could have heard the engine's roar. But when I went to peek out the curtain — again — it was suddenly there.**

**I wasn't looking forward to Friday, and it more than lived up to my non-expectations. Of course there were the fainting comments. Jessica especially seemed to get a kick out of that story.**

"Of course she would" Alice muttered angrily causing me to smile it was good that she already seemed to like Bella.

**Luckily Mike had kept his mouth shut, and no one seemed to know about Edward's involvement. She did have a lot of questions about lunch, though.**

**"So what did Edward Cullen want yesterday?" Jessica asked in Trig.**

**"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "He never really got to the point."**

**"You looked kind of mad," she fished.**

**"Did I?" I kept my expression blank.**

"Nice that will annoy her good" Rose said a nasty smile coming onto her face

**"You know, I've never seen him sit with anyone but his family before. That was weird."**

"She's still digging" Alice said her annoyance clear

_Maybe me and Jazz should scare her I mean we still have some time for Bella to arrive but we could entertain are self's that way_ Emmett though with a smile causing me to laugh

"I don't think Esme will let that happen Em" I said with a smile causing him to pout

**"Weird," I agreed. She seemed annoyed; she flipped her dark curls impatiently — I guessed she'd been hoping to hear something that would make a good story for her to pass on.**

**The worst part about Friday was that, even though I knew he wasn't going to be there, I still hoped.**

**When I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica and Mike, I couldn't keep from looking at his table, where Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper sat talking, heads close together. And I couldn't stop the gloom that engulfed me as I realized I didn't know how long I would have to wait before I saw him again.**

"Wow she's becoming just as obsessed with you that your with her" Jasper said laughing at the waves of annoyance emanating from me.

**At my usual table, everyone was full of our plans for the next day. Mike was animated again, putting a great deal of trust in the local weatherman who promised sun tomorrow. I'd have to see that before I believed it.**

"She really is a rational girl" Carlisle said with an approving smile toward me causing me to smile back

**But it was warmer today — almost sixty. Maybe the outing wouldn't be completely miserable.**

**I intercepted a few unfriendly glances from Lauren during lunch, which I didn't understand until we were all walking out of the room together. I was right behind her, just a foot from her slick, silver blond hair, and she was evidently unaware of that.**

**"…don't know why Bella" — she sneered my name — "doesn't just sit with the Cullens from now on."**

**I heard her muttering to Mike. I'd never noticed what an unpleasant, nasal voice she had, and I was surprised by the malice in it.**

I growled no one insults my Bella even an un-intelligent little human girl.

"don't worry Edward Lauren is a little vindictive bitch" Alice said with a small smile that I could tell was a little forced but I smiled back a little at the thought that all my family seemed to accept the woman I love and at lest like her in Rosalie's case

**I really didn't know her well at all, certainly not well enough for her to dislike me — or so I'd thought. "She's my friend; she sits with us," Mike whispered back loyally, but also a bit territorially. I paused to let Jess and Angela pass me. I didn't want to hear any more.**

I sighed at lest that rat Newton was standing up for her I couldn't hurt him for it and it earned a little more respect from me I looked towards Jasper

"At lest he's standing up for her" I said with a sigh

I saw him smile "true but he's still annoying and trying too get with her"

He laughed at my glare for a moment I had forgotten about that little pice of information

**That night at dinner, Charlie seemed enthusiastic about my trip to La Push in the morning. I think he felt guilty for leaving me home alone on the weekends, but he'd spent too many years building his habits to break them now. Of course he knew the names of all the kids going, and their parents, and their great-grandparents, too, probably. He seemed to approve. I wondered if he would approve of my plan to ride to Seattle with Edward Cullen.**

"most likely not" I said with a sigh it wasn't good that she hadn't told him I would be with her especially with how I was reacting it seemed I was barely in control and that seemed to be pushing it.

"Don't worry about it son" Carlisle said, I looked up and saw concern plain on his features

"Ill try no promises that it will work" I said and turned to Jasper

"If you wouldn't mind I think it best if we have you control are emotions considering this books prolog it might be best to have a clam environment instead of a half high strung one

"Sure thing bro" He said as a clam feeling spread I nodded a thanks

**Not that I was going to tell him.**

**"Dad, do you know a place called Goat Rocks or something like that? I think it's south of Mount Rainier," I asked casually.**

**"Yeah — why?"**

"Oh I wonder what she will tell him" Emmett said with a smile

Causing me to roll my eyes

**I shrugged. "Some kids were talking about camping there."**

**"It's not a very good place for camping." He sounded surprised. "Too many bears.**

"But that's the best part" whined Emmett

I groaned and muttered Bears under my breath, causing everyone to look at me in confusion.

I closed my eyes and began "Bears another thing that is potentially dangerous and fatal to Bella, as proven by Emmett" I said opening my eyes only to stare into the eyes of my worried family

"Let's get this over with" I said sighing and giving Carlisle a nod so he knew I meant it.

**Most people go there during the hunting season."**

**"Oh," I murmured. "Maybe I got the name wrong."**

**I meant to sleep in, but an unusual brightness woke me. I opened my eyes to see a clear yellow light streaming through my window. I couldn't believe it. I hurried to the window to check, and sure enough, there was the sun. It was in the wrong place in the sky, too low,**

"It must be really early for her then" I said with a small smile

**and it didn't seem to be as close as it should be, but it was definitely the sun. Clouds ringed the horizon, but a large patch of blue was visible in the middle. I lingered by the window as long as I could, afraid that if I left the blue would disappear again.**

**The Newtons' Olympic Outfitters store was just north of town. I'd seen the store, but I'd never stopped there — not having much need for any supplies required for being outdoors over an extended period of time.**

"I would hope not, or she would have broken her neck walking" Emmett said picturing her falling over

I growled "not funny Em"

He poked out his tong "only not to you"

**In the parking lot I recognized Mike's Suburban and Tyler's Sentra. As I pulled up next to their vehicles, I could see the group standing around in front of the Suburban. Eric was there, along with two other boys I had class with; I was fairly sure their names were Ben and Conner. Jess was there, flanked by Angela and Lauren. Three other girls stood with them, including one I remembered falling over in Gym on Friday. That one gave me a dirty look as I got out of the truck, and whispered something to Lauren.**

**Lauren shook out her cornsilk hair and eyed me scornfully.**

**So it was going to be one of those days.**

**At least Mike was happy to see me.**

**"You came!" he called, delighted. "And I said it would be sunny today, didn't I?"**

**"I told you I was coming," I reminded him.**

**"We're just waiting for Lee and Samantha… unless you invited someone," Mike added.**

"yes but he declined, not that its any of your business" Rose hissed

I chuckled wondering what she was going to say to him

**"Nope," I lied lightly, hoping I wouldn't get caught in the lie. But also wishing that a miracle would occur, and Edward would appear.**

**Mike looked satisfied.**

**"Will you ride in my car? It's that or Lee's mom's minivan."**

**"Sure."**

**He smiled blissfully. It was so easy to make Mike happy.**

**"You can have shotgun," he promised. I hid my chagrin. It wasn't as simple to make Mike and Jessica happy at the same time. I could see Jessica glowering at us now.**

**The numbers worked out in my favor, though. Lee brought two extra people, and suddenly every seat was necessary. I managed to wedge Jess in between Mike and me in the front seat of the Suburban.**

**Mike could have been more graceful about it, but at least Jess seemed appeased.**

**It was only fifteen miles to La Push from Forks, with gorgeous, dense green forests edging the road most of the way and the wide Quileute River snaking beneath it twice. I was glad I had the window seat.**

**We'd rolled the windows down — the Suburban was a bit claustrophobic with nine people in it — and I tried to absorb as much sunlight as possible.**

"A good plan considering how little the sun is out here" Carlisle said with a smile

"Yes but it also makes it such a good place to live and basically home" Emmett said smiling broadly

"Yes Forks really is Home" Esme agreed smiling

**I'd been to the beaches around La Push many times during my Forks summers with Charlie, so the mile-long crescent of First Beach was familiar to me.**

Almost everyone tensed at the sound of the La Push the only ones not to were Carlisle and Esme

**It was still breathtaking. The water was dark gray, even in the sunlight, white-capped and heaving to the gray, rocky shore. Islands rose out of the steel harbor waters with sheer cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, soaring firs.**

**The beach had only a thin border of actual sand at the water's edge, after which it grew into millions of large, smooth stones that looked uniformly gray from a distance, but close up were every shade a stone could be: terra-cotta, sea green, lavender, blue gray, dull gold. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees, bleached bone white in the salt waves, some piled together against the edge of the forest fringe, some lying solitary, just out of reach of the waves.**

**There was a brisk wind coming off the waves, cool and briny. Pelicans floated on the swells while seagulls and a lone eagle wheeled above them. The clouds still circled the sky, threatening to invade at any moment, but for now the sun shone bravely in its halo of blue sky.**

"Sounds beautiful" Esme whispered

I sighed if I took Bella into this life she could never see that again, it's just another reason why I shouldn't want to meet her.

**We picked our way down to the beach, Mike leading the way to a ring of driftwood logs that had obviously been used for parties like ours before. There was a fire circle already in place, filled with black ashes. Eric and the boy I thought was named Ben gathered broken branches of driftwood from the drier piles against the forest edge, and soon had a teepee-shaped construction built atop the old cinders.**

**"Have you ever seen a driftwood fire?" Mike asked me. I was sitting on one of the bone-colored benches; the other girls clustered, gossiping excitedly, on either side of me. Mike kneeled by the fire, lighting one of the smaller sticks with a cigarette lighter.**

**"No," I said as he placed the blazing twig carefully against the teepee.**

"I wonder what it looks like" Carlisle mused with a smile

**"You'll like this then — watch the colors." He lit another small branch and laid it alongside the first. The flames started to lick quickly up the dry wood.**

**"It's blue," I said in surprise.**

"Sounds beautiful" Esme said leaning against Carlisle who nodded in agreement

**"The salt does it. Pretty, isn't it?" He lit one more piece, placed it where the fire hadn't yet caught, and then came to sit by me. Thankfully, Jess was on his other side. She turned to him and claimed his attention. I watched the strange blue and green flames crackle toward the sky.**

**After a half hour of chatter, some of the boys wanted to hike to the nearby tidal pools. It was a dilemma.**

"Why" I wondered aloud

**On the one hand, I loved the tide pools. They had fascinated me since I was a child; they were one of the only things I ever looked forward to when I had to come to Forks. On the other hand, I'd also fallen into them a lot.**

I smiled that did not surprise me at all but it did answer my question.

**Not a big deal when you're seven and with your dad. It reminded me of Edward's request —that I not fall into the ocean.**

"she took you seriously" Emmett said smiling

Causing everyone to smile and chuckle

**Lauren was the one who made my decision for me. She didn't want to hike, and she was definitely wearing the wrong shoes for it. Most of the other girls besides Angela and Jessica decided to stay on the beach as well. I waited until Tyler and Eric had committed to remaining with them before I got up quietly to join the pro-hiking group. Mike gave me a huge smile when he saw that I was coming.**

"I bet" I muttered angrily but as soon as the anger appeared it was replaced by a sense of clam I looked to Jasper and smiled

**The hike wasn't too long, though I hated to lose the sky in the woods. The green light of the forest was strangely at odds with the adolescent laughter, too murky and ominous to be in harmony with the light banter around me. I had to watch each step I took very carefully, avoiding roots below and branches above, and I soon fell behind. Eventually I broke through the emerald confines of the forest and found the rocky shore again. It was low tide, and a tidal river flowed past us on its way to the sea. Along its pebbled banks, shallow pools that never completely drained were teeming with life.**

**I was very cautious not to lean too far over the little ocean ponds.**

I chuckled at that, as did the rest of my family

**The others were fearless, leaping over the rocks, perching precariously on the edges. I found a very stable-looking rock on the fringe of one of the largest pools and sat there cautiously, spellbound by the natural aquarium below me. The bouquets of brilliant anemones undulated ceaselessly in the invisible current, twisted shells scurried about the edges, obscuring the crabs within them, starfish stuck motionless to the rocks and each other, while one small black eel with white racing stripes wove through the bright green weeds, waiting for the sea to return. I was completely absorbed, except for one small part of my mind that wondered what Edward was doing now, and trying to imagine what he would be saying if he were here with me.**

"aww she's thinking about you" Alice practically yelled causing me to wince, but still smile

**Finally the boys were hungry, and I got up stiffly to follow them back. I tried to keep up better this time through the woods, **.**so naturally I fell a few times.**

This caused Emmett to laugh boisterously, and me to wince poor Bella

**I got some shallow scrapes on my palms, and the knees of my jeans were stained green, but it could have been worse.**

**When we got back to First Beach, the group we'd left behind had multiplied. As we got closer we could see the shining, straight black hair and copper skin**

I growled along with the rest of my siblings

"Great the mutts are there" Rose hissed venom lacing her words

Carlisle sighed "Rosalie you know that the wolfs died out long ago, and there aren't any around today"

This only caused her to hiss more

**of the newcomers, teenagers from the reservation come to socialize.**

**The food was already being passed around, and the boys hurried to claim a share while Eric introduced us as we each entered the driftwood circle. Angela and I were the last to arrive, and, as Eric said our names, I noticed a younger boy sitting on the stones near the fire glance up at me in interest.**

"Looks like the boy might end up having a thing for Bella" Emmett said with a weak smile trying to lighten the mood

**I sat down next to Angela, and Mike brought us sandwiches and an array of sodas to choose from, while a boy who looked to be the oldest of the visitors rattled off the names of the seven others with him. All I caught was that one of the girls was also named Jessica, and the boy who noticed me was named Jacob.**

**It was relaxing to sit with Angela; she was a restful kind of person to be around — she didn't feel the need to fill every silence with chatter. She left me free to think undisturbed while we ate.**

I smiled Angela really was a kind and considerate girl someone you could trust and that's what Bella needs a trustworthy and close friend.

**And I was thinking about how disjointedly time seemed to flow in Forks, passing in a blur at times, with single images standing out more clearly than others.**

"it seam's that way doesn't it, that time moves more quickly in a place you like and while your with your friend's" Alice said smiling at Jasper before turning her gaze to me and grinning "it also helps that she has you to keep her occupied"

I smiled slightly thinking about spending time with Bella and being able to get to know her

**And then, at other times, every second was significant, etched in my mind. I knew exactly what caused the difference, and it disturbed me.**

**During lunch the clouds started to advance, slinking across the blue sky, darting in front of the sun momentarily, casting long shadows across the beach, and blackening the waves. As they finished eating, people started to drift away in twos and threes. Some walked down to the edge of the waves, trying to skip rocks across the choppy surface. Others were gathering a second expedition to the tide pools. Mike — with Jessica shadowing him — headed up to the one shop in the village. Some of the local kids went with them; others went along on the hike. By the time they all had scattered, I was sitting alone on my driftwood log, with Lauren and Tyler**

I rolled my eyes just what she wanted a person who was interested in her and a person who hated her in the same place

"What luck she has" Jasper muttered with a frown causing me to sigh.

My Bella really did have horrid luck no matter the circumstances

**occupying themselves by the CD player someone had thought to bring, and three teenagers from the reservation perched around the circle, including the boy named Jacob and the oldest boy who had acted as spokesperson.**

**A few minutes after Angela left with the hikers, Jacob sauntered over to take her place by my side. He looked fourteen, maybe fifteen, and had long, glossy black hair pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck. His skin was beautiful, silky and russet-colored; his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. He still had just a hint of childish roundness left around his chin.**

"Oh Eddie it looks like you might have some competition seeing as she seems to be going into detail to describe this boy" Emmett said laughing

I rolled my eyes at his childishness though it was odd that she was going into detail to describe him it could mean anything.

**Altogether, a very pretty face. However, my positive opinion of his looks was damaged by the first words out of his mouth.**

**"You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?"**

**It was like the first day of school all over again.**

**"Bella," I sighed.**

**"I'm Jacob Black." He held his hand out in a friendly gesture. "You bought my dad's truck."**

**"Oh," I said, relieved, shaking his sleek hand. "You're Billy's son. I probably should remember you."**

**"No, I'm the youngest of the family — you would remember my older sisters."**

**"Rachel and Rebecca," I suddenly recalled. Charlie and Billy had thrown us together a lot during my visits, to keep us busy while they fished. We were all too shy to make much progress as friends. Of course, I'd kicked up enough tantrums to end the fishing trips by the time I was eleven.**

I smiled the image of Bella as a child and playing a tantrum was a little funny, but only because it was so ludicrous to think could happen.

I saw the rest of the family smile slightly there thoughts similar to my own.

**"Are they here?" I examined the girls at the ocean's edge, wondering if I would recognize them now.**

**"No." Jacob shook his head. "Rachel got a scholarship to Washington State, and Rebecca married a Samoan surfer — she lives in Hawaii now."**

**"Married. Wow." I was stunned. The twins were only a little over a year older than I was.**

I smiled, it wasn't un common when I was born to be married at a young age and just the thought of Bella in a white dress walking down the isle to me almost made my dead heart begin to beat once more, but with the pure joy the sight brought it also brought grate sadness because I knew just from that reaction she wouldn't want the same thing I did, besides it couldn't be a traditinel wedding because there couldn't be a honeymoon not with what I was.

Sighing I looked at my family there thoughts all differing

Esme, Alice and Carlisle all thoughts consumed by just the idea

But Jasper and Rosalie were having similar doubts about what that would bring for us

And Emmett was just laughing thinking of how I would have to come to him or Jasper for help if it ever happened

I looked to Carlisle "Can you please continue" I said trying to hid my embracement

He smiled and nodded

**"So how do you like the truck?" he asked.**

**"I love it. It runs great."**

**"Yeah, but it's really slow," he laughed.**

Me and Rosalie grimaced, out of the entire family we were the ones that loved speed the most

**"I was so relived when Charlie bought it. My dad wouldn't let me work on building another car when we had a perfectly good vehicle right there."**

**"It's not that slow," I objected.**

**"Have you tried to go over sixty?"**

**"No," I admitted.**

This time all of us grimced even Carlisle and Esme thought they were better with speed then the rest of us they dtill hated going that slow

**"Good. Don't." He grinned.**

**I couldn't help grinning back. "It does great in a collision," I offered in my truck's defense.**

**"I don't think a tank could take out that old monster," he agreed with another laugh.**

"she dose like his" Alice said teasingly

I growled in response

**"So you build cars?" I asked, impressed.**

**"When I have free time, and parts. You wouldn't happen to know where I could get my hands on a master cylinder for a 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit?" he added jokingly. **

Rosalie snorted "like she would know what that is" _No offence Edward_ she added noticing a growl building in my throat I nodded once

**He had a pleasant, husky voice.**

**"Sorry," I laughed, "I haven't seen any lately, but I'll keep my eyes open for you." As if I knew what that was. He was very easy to talk with.**

**He flashed a brilliant smile, looking at me appreciatively in a way I was learning to recognize. I wasn't the only one who noticed.**

**"You know Bella, Jacob?" Lauren asked — in what I imagined was an insolent tone — from across the fire.**

**"We've sort of known each other since I was born," he laughed, smiling at me again.**

**"How nice." She didn't sound like she thought it was nice at all, and her pale, fishy eyes narrowed.**

**"Bella," she called again, watching my face carefully, "I was just saying to Tyler that it was too bad none of the Cullens could come out today. Didn't anyone think to invite them?" Her expression of concern was unconvincing.**

I groaned "she just had to talk about us to the only people that know what we are" I said grimacing

"it could be worse, but at least we know you didn't tell her, that's a pulse for you," Alice said trying to smile but failing I groaned though I could tell she was trying to help she was failing miserably .

**"You mean Dr. Carlisle Cullen's family?" the tall, older boy asked before I could respond, much to Lauren's irritation. He was really closer to a man than a boy, and his voice was very deep.**

**"Yes, do you know them?" she asked condescendingly, turning halfway toward him.**

**"The Cullens don't come here," he said in a tone that closed the subject, ignoring her question.**

"And of course Edward had to pick the most observant and suspicious human to fall for, that just happens to figure it out in a few days of talking to her" said Rosalie

"Though it wouldn't of happened if those dam mutts could keep there big mouths shut" she said in a hiss

I groaned only Bella would have enough bad luck to stumble upon this

**Tyler, trying to win back her attention, asked Lauren's opinion on a CD he held. She was distracted.**

**I stared at the deep-voiced boy, taken aback, but he was looking away toward the dark forest behind us. He'd said that the Cullens didn't come here, but his tone had implied something more — that they weren't allowed; they were prohibited.**

"And of course Bella picks up on that at once" Jasper said with a sigh before turning to me "No offence Edward but couldn't you have picked a human not as bright as Bella to fall for"

I chuckled at that "sorry bro but it seems Bella was made for me in this life and my last, even if that is a frightening though I wouldn't want anyone else but her"

**His manner left a strange impression on me, and I tried to ignore it without success.**

**Jacob interrupted my meditation. "So is Forks driving you insane yet?"**

**"Oh, I'd say that's an understatement." I grimaced. He grinned understandingly.**

**I was still turning over the brief comment on the Cullens, and I had a sudden inspiration. It was a stupid plan, but I didn't have any better ideas. I hoped that young Jacob was as yet inexperienced around girls, so that he wouldn't see through my sure-to-be-pitiful attempts at flirting.**

Emmett laughed "I bet the dog ends up thinking its real and falls for her"

I groaned it was not a present though and it only made me angry with the boy, and I hadn't even met him

**"Do you want to walk down the beach with me?" I asked, trying to imitate that way Edward had of looking up from underneath his eyelashes.**

I smiled and almost felt sorry for the boy considering the fact that she gained admirers with out trying she must have been overwhelming and I couldn't exactly blame the boy because I would surely fall for it myself, if the situation was reversed.

**It couldn't have nearly the same effect, I was sure, but Jacob jumped up willingly enough.**

**As we walked north across the multihued stones toward the driftwood seawall, the clouds finally closed ranks across the sky, causing the sea to darken and the temperature to drop. I shoved my hands deep into the pockets of my jacket.**

**"So you're, what, sixteen?" I asked, trying not to look like an idiot as I fluttered my eyelids the way I'd seen girls do on TV.**

**"I just turned fifteen," he confessed, flattered.**

**"Really?" My face was full of false surprise. "I would have thought you were older."**

**"I'm tall for my age," he explained.**

**"Do you come up to Forks much?" I asked archly, as if I was hoping for a yes. I sounded idiotic to myself. I was afraid he would turn on me with disgust and accuse me of my fraud, but he still seemed flattered.**

I growled I was beginning to dislike this boy immensely so.

I saw Emmett stifle a laugh and glowered at him

**"Not too much," he admitted with a frown. "But when I get my car finished I can go up as much as I want — after I get my license," he amended.**

**"Who was that other boy Lauren was talking to? He seemed a little old to be hanging out with us." I purposefully lumped myself in with the youngsters, trying to make it clear that I preferred Jacob.**

"Not bad for a beginner" Alice said with an approving nod ignoring my glare

**"That's Sam — he's nineteen," he informed me.**

**"What was that he was saying about the doctor's family?" I asked innocently.**

**"The Cullens? Oh, they're not supposed to come onto the reservation." He looked away, out toward James Island, as he confirmed what I'd thought I'd heard in Sam's voice.**

**"Why not?"**

**He glanced back at me, biting his lip. "Oops. I'm not supposed to say anything about that."**

"oh and that's not going to make her curious in the least" Rosalie said sarcastically "stupid mutt"

"Rosalie" Esme scolded "he's just a boy and doesn't know the stories are true please behave yourself, that goes fore the rest of you please try not to bad mouth anyone in this book" she said frowning

"we will try mom but some of then deserve it" Emmett said with a smile teasing his lips.

**"Oh, I won't tell anyone, I'm just curious." I tried to make my smile alluring, wondering if I was laying it on too thick.**

**He smiled back, though, looking allured. Then he lifted one eyebrow and his voice was even huskier than before.**

**"Do you like scary stories?" he asked ominously.**

I groaned "here it comes, the gruesome truth"

_Don't worry bro from what we have seen it seams like she isn't easily distracted from things she wants and she obviously wants you... _

I smiled "Thanks Jazz" I said trying to smile

I say Emmett groaned "I hate it when you have half conversations its annoying to try and find out what's going on with only half the information

I laughed much to Emmett's annoyance

Before letting Carlisle continue to read

**"I love them," I enthused, making an effort to smolder at him.**

**Jacob strolled to a nearby driftwood tree that had its roots sticking out like the attenuated legs of a huge, pale spider. He perched lightly on one of the twisted roots while I sat beneath him on the body of the tree. He stared down at the rocks, a smile hovering around the edges of his broad lips. I could see he was going to try to make this good. I focused on keeping the vital interest I felt out of my eyes.**

**"Do you know any of our old stories, about where we came from — the Quileutes, I mean?" he began.**

I saw Carlisle sit up straighter, I raised and eyebrow

He smiled "I always wanted to know a little about there tribe it should be interesting to find out about"

He said causing me to smile before letting him continue

**"Not really," I admitted.**

**"Well, there are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the Flood — supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the ark." He smiled, to show me how little stock he put in the histories. "Another legend claims that we descended from wolves - and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them.**

**"Then there are the stories about the cold ones." His voice dropped a little lower.**

"And here we are" I muttered this was not going to be good I could already tell

**"The cold ones?" I asked, not faking my intrigue now.**

**"Yes. There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent. According to legend, my own great-grandfather knew some of them. **

"Ahh so the boy who is braking the treaty is a descendent of Ephraim Black **(A/N sorry if its not spelled correct)** that's interesting" Carlisle mused

In all honesty it was rather ironic that the man who created the treaty had the descendent how broke it

**He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our land." He rolled his eyes.**

**"Your great-grandfather?" I encouraged.**

**"He was a tribal elder, like my father. You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf—well, not the wolf, really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves."**

**"Werewolves have enemies?"**

**"Only one."**

**I stared at him earnestly, hoping to disguise my impatience as admiration.**

**"So you see," Jacob continued, "the cold ones are traditionally our enemies. But this pack **

"Pack" Hissed Rosalie eyes flashing "how dare he call us a pack, were a family not a bunch of mutts.

**that came to our territory during my great-grandfather's time was different. They didn't hunt the way others of their kind did — they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe. So my great-grandfather made a truce with them. If they would promise to stay off our lands, we wouldn't expose them to the pale-faces." He winked at me.**

**"If they weren't dangerous, then why…?" I tried to understand, struggling not to let him see how seriously I was considering his ghost story.**

**"There's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, even if they're civilized like this clan was. **

"That is true accidents do happen" I said sighing thinking of how close I had come to making Bella one of those accidents

**You never know when they might get too hungry to resist." He deliberately worked a thick edge of menace into his tone.**

**"What do you mean, 'civilized'?"**

**"They claimed that they didn't hunt humans. They supposedly were somehow able to prey on animals instead." I tried to keep my voice casual. "So how does it fit in with the Cullens? Are they like the cold ones your greatgrandfather met?"**

**"No." He paused dramatically. "They are the same ones."**

I sighed before looking at my families confused faces "it was better than I expected, at least the boy didn't portray us too badly" I said as way of explanation.

**He must have thought the expression on my face was fear inspired by his story. He smiled, pleased, and continued.**

**"There are more of them now, a new female and a new male, but the rest are the same. In my great-grandfather's time they already knew of the leader, Carlisle. He'd been here and gone before your people had even arrived." He was fighting a smile.**

**"And what are they?" I finally asked. "What are the cold ones?"**

**He smiled darkly.**

**"Blood drinkers," he replied in a chilling voice. "Your people call them vampires."**

Alice sighed "and now she knows"

I smiled at lest this saved me the trouble of having to tell her and it wasn't so bad the way it was explained, also it was a pulse Rose couldn't blame me for it because I hadn't said a thing.

**I stared out at the rough surf after he answered, not sure what my face was exposing.**

**"You have goose bumps," he laughed delightedly.**

**"You're a good storyteller," I complimented him, still staring into the waves.**

**"Pretty crazy stuff, though, isn't it? No wonder my dad doesn't want us to talk about it to anyone."**

**I couldn't control my expression enough to look at him yet. "Don't worry, I won't give you away."**

"I wonder how long before you get it out of her Eddie" Emmett said laughing

I raised an eyebrow "why do you say that I get it out of her"

He shrugged "well if Rose had found out there wouldn't have been so many books so obviously and Alice wouldn't leave her alone and I would have told Rose first so it was you and you waited till a proper time to let us in on the little news probably when there were lots of people around so she couldn't do anything, that's why" He said smiling

"You know Em your right he would have to do it that way because I believe I would vote with Rose" Jasper said causing me to growl

He shrugged "I wouldn't put Alice at risk and I couldn't do anything like Rose wouldn't if there were witnesses" I sighed what Emmett had described did fit my personality so I don't doubt that it was probably what happened.

**"I guess I just violated the treaty," he laughed.**

**"I'll take it to the grave," I promised, and then I shivered.**

**"Seriously, though, don't say anything to Charlie. He was pretty mad at my dad when he heard that some of us weren't going to the hospital since Dr. Cullen started working there."**

**"I won't, of course not."**

**"So do you think we're a bunch of superstitious natives or what?" he asked in a playful tone, but with a hint of worry.**

If only I thought to myself then maybe she wouldn't go near him ever again

**I still hadn't looked away from the ocean.**

**I turned and smiled at him as normally as I could.**

**"No. I think you're very good at telling scary stories, though. I still have goose bumps, see?" I held up my arm.**

**"Cool." He smiled.**

**And then the sound of the beach rocks clattering against each other warned us that someone was approaching. Our heads snapped up at the same time to see Mike and Jessica about fifty yards away, walking toward us.**

"Oh here come's Mikey boy" Emmett and Jasper said snickering

I groaned in annoyance between the two I hade to prefer the mutt to Mike but that didn't mean I had to like either one

**"There you are, Bella," Mike called in relief, waving his arm over his head.**

**"Is that your boyfriend?" Jacob asked, alerted by the jealous edge in Mike's voice. I was surprised it was so obvious.**

**"No, definitely not," I whispered. I was tremendously grateful to Jacob, and eager to make him as happy as possible. I winked at him, carefully turning away from Mike to do so. He smiled, elated by my inept flirting.**

I groaned it looked like it was true that she had gained another annoying admirer and that didn't sit very well with me

But of course it seamed to amused Alice ,Jasper and Emmett much to my annoyance

**"So when I get my license…" he began.**

**"You should come see me in Forks. We could hang out sometime." I felt guilty as I said this, knowing that I'd used him. But I really did like Jacob. He was someone I could easily be friends with.**

I sighed she really did need good friends and though I disliked the bog it seamed at leas he would be a good and loyal friend

**Mike had reached us now, with Jessica still a few paces back. I could see his eyes appraising Jacob, and looking satisfied at his obvious youth.**

**"Where have you been?" he asked, though the answer was right in front of him.**

**"Jacob was just telling me some local stories," I volunteered. "It was really interesting."**

**I smiled at Jacob warmly, and he grinned back.**

**"Well," Mike paused, carefully reassessing the situation as he watched our camaraderie. "We're packing up — it looks like it's going to rain soon."**

"no not in forks" Emmett said in mock surprise

I chuckled weakly

**We all looked up at the glowering sky. It certainly did look like rain.**

**"Okay." I jumped up. "I'm coming."**

**"It was nice to see you again," Jacob said, and I could tell he was taunting Mike just a bit.**

**"It really was. Next time Charlie comes down to see Billy, I'll come, too," I promised.**

**His grin stretched across his face. "That would be cool."**

**"And thanks," I added earnestly.**

**I pulled up my hood as we tramped across the rocks toward the parking lot. A few drops were beginning to fall, making black spots on the stones where they landed. When we got to the Suburban the others were already loading everything back in. I crawled into the backseat by Angela and Tyler, announcing that I'd already had my turn in the shotgun position. Angela just stared out the window at the escalating storm, and Lauren twisted around in the middle seat to occupy Tyler's attention, so I could simply lay my head back on the seat and close my eyes and try very hard not to think.**

"and that's the end of the chapter" Carlisle said before closing the book and looking around "I think It best if we go hunting before we continue.

Everyone nodded in agreement

"How about I read next" Asked Esme

"Ok" I agreed before heading out with the rest of the family to hunt.

* * *

**WOW I we haven't updated in sooooooo long. For which we are sorry for there was a lot of school work but we hope you like this and please review so we know if you like this and want it to be continue with **

**Thanks this is a story from**

**Bella-30 and Jess1177**


	10. Nightmare

after returning after a quick hunt we begun to read again

**EPOV**

**"Nightmare,"** Esme read

**I told Charlie I had a lot of homework to do, and that I didn't want anything to eat. There was a basketball game on that he was excited about, though of course I had no idea what was special about it, so he wasn't aware of anything unusual in my face or tone.**

**Once in my room, I locked the door. I dug through my desk until I found my old headphones, and I plugged them into my little CD player. I picked up a CD that Phil had given to me for Christmas. It was one of his favorite bands, but they used a little too much bass and shrieking for my tastes. I popped it into place and lay down on my bed. I put on the headphones, hit Play, and turned up the volume until it hurt my ears. I closed my eyes, but the light still intruded, so I added a pillow over the top half of my face.**

I ignored the looks I received from my family and I sighed slightly I didn't want Bella to be having nightmares over this as I was already starting to fall for her it was braking my heart to hear that I was the cause of them

**I concentrated very carefully on the music, trying to understand the lyrics, to unravel the complicated drum patterns. By the third time I'd listened through the CD, I knew all the words to the choruses, at least. I was surprised to find that I really did like the band after all, once I got past the blaring noise. I'd have to thank Phil again.**

"So she likes classical to this" Alice muttered trying to make me smile which I did as it was good to know I had something in common with her and to know she was a fan of music like me

**And it worked. The shattering beats made it impossible for me to think — which was the whole purpose of the exercise. I listened to the CD again and again, until I was singing along with all the songs, until, finally, I fell asleep.**

**I opened my eyes to a familiar place. Aware in some corner of my consciousness that I was dreaming, I recognized the green light of the forest. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks somewhere nearby. And I knew that if I found the ocean, I'd be able to see the sun. I was trying to follow the sound, but then Jacob Black was there, tugging on my hand, pulling me back toward the blackest part of the forest.**

"Hey leave her alone" Alice hissed "you could be hurting her"

**"Jacob? What's wrong?" I asked. His face was frightened as he yanked with all his strength against my resistance; I didn't want to go into the dark.**

**"Run, Bella, you have to run!" he whispered, terrified.**

**"This way, Bella!" I recognized Mike's voice calling out of the gloomy heart of the trees, but I couldn't see him.**

"What" seven voices echoed

"Well now we know why its a nightmare" Rosalie muttered I shook my head at her, she may have said she liked Bella but it odd to see it confirmed yet again

**"Why?" I asked, still pulling against Jacob's grasp, desperate now to find the sun.**

**But Jacob let go of my hand and yelped, suddenly shaking, falling to the dim forest floor. He twitched on the ground as I watched in horror.**

**"Jacob!" I screamed. But he was gone. In his place was a large red-brown wolf with black eyes. **

"What" seven voices echoed

"Well that is unusual she made him a wolf" Carlisle said

"she's so perceptive that even her subcommittees some how finds the truth" Jasper thought slightly impressed

just then Esme begain to read again

**The wolf faced away from me, pointing toward the shore, the hair on the back of his shoulders bristling, low growls issuing from between his exposed fangs.**

**"Bella, run!" Mike cried out again from behind me. But I didn't turn. I was watching a light coming toward me from the beach.**

I flinched slightly what kind of danger was she in

_don't worry Edward she will be fine_ Esme thought kindly I gave her a slight smile and let her continue

**And then Edward stepped out from the trees, his skin faintly glowing, his eyes black and dangerous. **

I blinked "My skin was glowing"

I saw the rest of my families confusion

"It must be a coincidence I mean she has no reason to think a vampire's skin would glow" Carlisle said calmly

"Yeah but its still freaky that she dreamt it" Emmett muttered looking at the book warily

Everyone nodded in agreement it was slightly freaky

**He held up one hand and beckoned me to come to him. The wolf growled at my feet.**

**I took a step forward, toward Edward. He smiled then, and his teeth were sharp, pointed.**

**"Trust me," he purred.**

**I took another step.**

**The wolf launched himself across the space between me and the vampire, fangs aiming for the jugular.**

**"No!" I screamed, wrenching upright out of my bed.**

"Aww Eddie she was worried about you being beaten by a wolf" Emmett said laughing

I scowled at him and the rest of my family as everyone apart from Esme and Carlisle began to snicker or in Rose's case snort in amusement

**My sudden movement caused the headphones to pull the CD player off the bedside table, and it clattered to the wooden floor.**

**My light was still on, and I was sitting fully dressed on the bed, with my shoes on. I glanced, disoriented, at the clock on my dresser. It was five-thirty in the morning.**

**I groaned, fell back, and rolled over onto my face, kicking off my boots. I was too uncomfortable to get anywhere near sleep, though. I rolled back over and unbuttoned my jeans, yanking them off awkwardly as I tried to stay horizontal. I could feel the braid in my hair, an uncomfortable ridge along the back of my skull. I turned onto my side and ripped the rubber band out, quickly combing through the plaits with my fingers. I pulled the pillow back over my eyes.**

**It was all no use, of course. My subconscious had dredged up exactly the images I'd been trying so desperately to avoid. I was going to have to face them now.**

I grimaced so that was what she had been doing it depressed me slightly to know this

**I sat up, and my head spun for a minute as the blood flowed downward. First things first, I thought to myself, happy to put it off as long as possible. I grabbed my bathroom bag. **

**The shower **

"Bella honey procrastinating wont help" Esme said kindly

"Not true I do it all the time for home work" said Emmett proudly

I shook my head that was not the right thing to say in front of Rose

"What do you mean Emmett Cullen" Rose hissed at him her hands on her hips

Esme decided to stop the fight by reading again

**didn't last nearly as long as I hoped it would, though. Even taking the time to blow-dry my hair, I was soon out of things to do in the bathroom. Wrapped in a towel, I crossed back to my room. I couldn't tell if Charlie was still asleep, or if he had already left. I went to look out my window, and the cruiser was gone. Fishing again.**

**I dressed slowly in my most comfy sweats and then made my bed — something I never did. I couldn't put it off any longer. I went to my desk and switched on my old computer.**

"She's going to research us on the internet, its a good idea but she wont find anything useful there" Carlisle said

"Why" Emmett questioned frowning

I sighed "Because the Voltori wouldn't want people to be able to recognize us so any information on there would simply be misconceptions that they allowed to be published" when I saw him nod in understanding I turned back to let Esme read

**I hated using the Internet here. My modem was sadly outdated, my free service substandard; just dialing up took so long that I decided to go get myself a bowl of cereal while I waited.**

**I ate slowly, chewing each bite with care. When I was done, I washed the bowl and spoon, dried them, and put them away. My feet dragged as I climbed the stairs. I went to my CD player first, picking it up off the floor and placing it precisely in the center of the table. I pulled out the headphones, and put them away in the desk drawer. Then I turned the same CD on, turning it down to the point where it was background noise.**

**With another sigh, I turned to my computer. Naturally, the screen was covered in pop-up ads. I sat in my hard folding chair and began closing all the little windows. Eventually I made it to my favorite search engine. I shot down a few more pop-ups and then typed in one word.**

**Vampire.**

**It took an infuriatingly long time, of course. When the results came up, there was a lot to sift through — everything from movies and TV shows to role-playing games, underground metal, and gothic cosmetic companies.**

**Then I found a promising site — Vampires A—Z. **

**I waited impatiently for it to load, quickly clicking closed each ad that flashed across the screen. Finally the screen was finished — simple white background with black text, academic-looking. Two quotes greeted me on the home page:**

**Throughout the vast shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but yet who partakes the dark natures and possesses the mysterious and terrible qualities of both. — Rev. Montage Summers**

"Well don't they make us sound lovely" Emmett chuckled

**If there is in this world a well-attested account, it is that of the vampires. Nothing is lacking: official reports, affidavits of well-known people, of surgeons, of priests, of magistrates; the judicial proof is most complete. And with all that, who is there who believes in vampires? — Rousseau**

**The rest of the site was an alphabetized listing of all the different myths of vampires held throughout the world. The first I clicked on, the Danag, was a Filipino vampire supposedly responsible for planting taro on the islands long ago. The myth continued that the Danag worked with humans for many years, but the partnership ended one day when a woman cut her finger and a Danag sucked her wound, enjoying the taste so much that it drained her body completely of blood.**

Jasper turned to Carlisle "Do you think that one could be true"

Carlisle seamed to consider his question for a second "I believe it might be true but I don't know why the Voltori would allow it to be published then"

I nodded that was a very good question Jasper had raised

**I read carefully through the descriptions, looking for anything that sounded familiar, let alone plausible. It seemed that most vampire myths centered around beautiful women as demons and children as victims; they also seemed like constructs created to explain away the high mortality rates for young children, and to give men an excuse for infidelity. **

**Many of the stories involved bodiless spirits and warnings against improper burials. There wasn't much that sounded like the movies I'd seen, and only a very few, like the Hebrew Estrie and the Polish Upier, who were even preoccupied with drinking blood.**

**Only three entries really caught my attention: the Romanian Varacolaci, a powerful undead being who could appear as a beautiful, pale-skinned human, the Slovak Nelapsi, a creature so strong and fast it could massacre an entire village in the single hour after midnight, and one other, the Stregoni Benefici.**

**About this last there was only one brief sentence.**

**Stregoni benefici: An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires.**

Emmett burst out laughing "Of all the one's out there she picks this one"

Jasper frowned "I guess it was because she could see the slight resemblance we have to it"

"Or the resemblance Edward does" Alice snickered at me I ignored all of this just waiting for Esme to continue

**It was a relief, that one small entry, the one myth among hundreds that claimed the existence of good vampires.**

**Overall, though, there was little that coincided with Jacob's stories or my own observations. I'd made a little catalogue in my mind as I'd read and carefully compared it with each myth. Speed, strength, beauty, pale skin, eyes that shift color; and then Jacob's criteria: blood drinkers, enemies of the werewolf, cold-skinned, and immortal. There were very few myths that matched even one factor.**

**And then another problem, one that I'd remembered from the small number of scary movies that I'd seen and was backed up by today's reading — vampires couldn't come out in the daytime, **

"One of the many myths the Voltari promote" Carlisle said

**the sun would burn them to a cinder. **

"Yeah, like it's that easy to kill us," Emmett said rolling his eyes grinning Feraly

I nodded "But that's most likely why it was promoted by them right Carlisle" I turned in his direction

"Yes, I believe it was to give the humans the idea that they could fight us off, and as Aro said once it made then easier to attack during the day"

**They slept in coffins all day and came out only at night.**

"And that's just ridiculous," Alice sniffed disdainfully at the thought of having to sleep in a coffin and I snorted in amusement at her antics

**Aggravated, I snapped off the computer's main power switch, not waiting to shut things down properly.**

**Through my irritation, I felt overwhelming embarrassment. It was all so stupid. I was sitting in my room, researching vampires. What was wrong with me? I decided that most of the blame belonged on the doorstep of the town of Forks — and the entire sodden Olympic Peninsula, for that matter.**

"she's going to disregard this" I said hopefully

**I had to get out of the house, but there was nowhere I wanted to go that didn't involve a three-day drive.**

**I pulled on my boots anyway, unclear where I was headed, and went downstairs. I shrugged into my raincoat without checking the weather and stomped out the door.**

**It was overcast, but not raining yet. I ignored my truck and started east on foot, angling across Charlie's yard toward the ever-encroaching forest. It didn't take long till I was deep enough for the house and the road to be invisible, for the only sound to be the squish of the damp earth under my feet and the sudden cries of the jays.**

**There was a thin ribbon of a trail that led through the forest here, or I wouldn't risk wandering on my own like this.**

"Plenty of reason's" I muttered namely my kind

"She's lucky she wasn't found by a rouge" Alice said horrified with jasper nodding his head in agreement

"She really is lucky" Emmett said seriously as he mindlessly stocked Roses hair

**My sense of direction was hopeless; I could get lost in much less helpful surroundings. The trail wound deeper and deeper into the forest, mostly east as far as I could tell. It snaked around the Sitka spruces and the hemlocks, the yews and the maples. I only vaguely knew the names of the trees around me, and all I knew was due to Charlie pointing them out to me from the cruiser window in earlier days.**

**There were many I didn't know, and others I couldn't be sure about because they were so covered in green parasites.**

I groaned she was lost in the forest alone this could not get any worse

**I followed the trail as long as my anger at myself pushed me forward. As that started to ebb, I slowed. A few drops of moisture trickled down from the canopy above me, but I couldn't be certain if it was beginning to rain or if it was simply pools left over from yesterday, held high in the leaves above me, slowly dripping their way back to the earth. A recently fallen tree — I knew it was recent because it wasn't entirely carpeted in moss — rested against the trunk of one of her sisters, creating a sheltered little bench just a few safe feet off the trail. I stepped over the ferns and sat carefully, making sure my jacket was between the damp seat and my clothes wherever they touched, and leaned my hooded head back against the living tree.**

**This was the wrong place to have come. I should have known, but where else was there to go? The forest was deep green and far too much like the scene in last night's dream to allow for peace of mind. **

**Now that there was no longer the sound of my soggy footsteps, the silence was piercing. The birds were quiet, too, the drops increasing in frequency, so it must be raining above. The ferns stood higher than my head, now that I was seated, and I knew someone could walk by on the path, three feet away, and not see me.**

**Here in the trees it was much easier to believe the absurdities that embarrassed me indoors. Nothing had changed in this forest for thousands of years, and all the myths and legends of a hundred different lands seemed much more likely in this green haze than they had in my clear-cut bedroom.**

**I forced myself to focus on the two most vital questions I had to answer, but I did so unwillingly.**

I held an unnecessary breath

**First, I had to decide if it was possible that what Jacob had said about the Cullen's could be true.**

I grimaced slightly but motioned Esme to continue as she and the family looked at me

**Immediately my mind responded with a resounding negative.**

"Well your wrong" Emmett said trying to lighten the mood

**It was silly and morbid to entertain such ridiculous notions. But what, then? I asked myself. There was no rational explanation for how I was alive at this moment. I listed again in my head the things I'd observed myself: the impossible speed and strength, the eye color shifting from black to gold and back again, the inhuman beauty, the pale, frigid skin. And more — small things that registered slowly — how they never seemed to eat, the disturbing grace with which they moved. And the way he sometimes spoke, with unfamiliar cadences and phrases that better fit the style of a turn-of-the-century novel than that of a twenty-first-century classroom**

"Do we really" Emmett asked surprised

"I hadn't noticed " Carlisle said "but well have to work on that just in case"

**He had skipped class the day we'd done blood typing. He hadn't said no to the beach trip till he heard where we were going. He seemed to know what everyone around him was thinking… **

"That last one is just Edward" Rosalie muttered annoyed

I sighed "If i could turn it of I would" I was not in the mood for this right now

**except me. He had told me he was the villain, dangerous…**

**Could the Cullen's be vampires?**

**Well, they were something. Something outside the possibility of rational justification was taking place in front of my incredulous eyes. Whether it be Jacob's cold ones or my own superhero theory, Edward Cullen was not… human. He was something more.**

"At least she doesn't sound afraid" Alice commented Esme nodded smiling slightly at me I smiled back but I wasn't going to hope it was true not yet at least

**So then — maybe. That would have to be my answer for now.**

**And then the most important question of all. What was I going to do if it was true?**

**If Edward was a vampire — I could hardly make myself think the words — then what should I do?**

Edward became as still as a statue at that, at look of pain on his face.

**Involving someone else was definitely out. I couldn't even believe myself; anyone I told would have me committed.**

**Only two options seemed practical. The first was to take his advice: to be smart, to avoid him as much as possible. **

"No" almost the entire family shouted as one surprising me

"Why not its what's best for her" I said plainly because to me even though it would hurt it did sound best and this way she could lead a normal life

Alice glared at me "No its not and you have no right to think it is"

"Edward you have waited so long don't through a chance to be happy" Carlisle said calmly

I nodded slightly not fully convinced

**To cancel our plans, to go back to ignoring him as far as I was able. To pretend there was an impenetrably thick glass wall between us in the one class where we were forced together. To tell him to leave me alone — and mean it this time.**

I flinched this caused Esme to pick up speed in her reading

**I was gripped in a sudden agony of despair as I considered that alternative. **

**My mind rejected the pain, quickly skipping on to the next option.**

**I could do nothing different. After all, if he was something… sinister, he'd done nothing to hurt me so far.**

**In fact, I would be a dent in Tyler's fender if he hadn't acted so quickly. So quickly, I argued with myself, that it might have been sheer reflexes. **

**But if it was a reflex to save lives, how bad could he be?**

"Well" Emmett started only to be hit by Rose's elbow in the stoic "shut it"

**I retorted. My head spun around in answerless circles.**

**There was one thing I was sure of, if I was sure of anything. The dark Edward in my dream last night was a reflection only of my fear of the word Jacob had spoken, and not Edward himself. **

**Even so, when I'd screamed out in terror at the werewolf's lunge, it wasn't fear for the wolf that brought the cry of "no" to my lips. It was fear that he would be harmed — even as he called to me with sharp-edged fangs, I feared for him.**

"What" I gasped she hadn't been afraid of me but this

Alice squealed " I knew she would be perfect for you"

Esme looked happy "I'm glad you finally found someone"

Rosalie just nodded _I'm happy for you_ she thought I smiled slightly

Jasper nodded sending out accepting and happy emotions while Emmett whopped "Finally"

Carlisle looked at me and smiled _She will be good for you_

I smiled back at my family happy that they were happy with my chosen in mate

**And I knew in that I had my answer. I didn't know if there ever was a choice, really. I was already in too deep. Now that I knew — if I knew — I could do nothing about my frightening secret. Because when I thought of him, of his voice, his hypnotic eyes, the magnetic force of his personality, I wanted nothing more than to be with him right now. Even if… but I couldn't think it. Not here, alone in the darkening forest. Not while the rain made it dim as twilight under the canopy and pattered like footsteps across the matted earthen floor. I shivered and rose quickly from my place of concealment, worried that somehow the path would have disappeared with the rain.**

**But it was there, safe and clear, winding its way out of the dripping green maze. I followed it hastily, my hood pulled close around my face, becoming surprised, as I nearly ran through the trees, at how far I had come. I started to wonder if I was heading out at all, or following the path farther into the confines of the forest. Before I could get too panicky, though, I began to glimpse some open spaces through the webbed branches. And then I could hear a car passing on the street, and I was free, Charlie's lawn stretched out in front of me, the house beckoning me, promising warmth and dry socks.**

I heard Emmett snicker and open his mouth before I shut him up by glaring at him

**It was just noon when I got back inside. I went upstairs and got dressed for the day, jeans and a t-shirt, since I was staying indoors. It didn't take too much effort to concentrate on my task for the day, a paper on Macbeth that was due Wednesday. I settled into outlining a rough draft contentedly, more serene than I'd felt since… well, since Thursday afternoon, if I was being honest.**

**That had always been my way, though. Making decisions was the painful part for me, the part I agonized over. But once the decision was made, I simply followed through — usually with relief that the choice was made. Sometimes the relief was tainted by despair, like my decision to come to Forks. But it was still better than wrestling with the alternatives.**

**This decision was ridiculously easy to live with. Dangerously easy.**

"Oh just get on with it already" Rose muttered I turned to look at her questionably

"What, its just suspense and since we all know she's going to stay with him I don't see the point" She claimed defensively turning back to the book

I saw Emmett smile at her and turned back to Esme

**And so the day was quiet, productive — I finished my paper before eight. Charlie came home with a large catch, and I made a mental note to pick up a book of recipes for fish while I was in Seattle next week. The chills that flashed up my spine whenever I thought of that trip were no different than the ones I'd felt before I'd taken my walk with Jacob Black. **

"She really does love you deeply already" Jasper said glancing at me

I nodded my thanks I didn't have much experience with the emotion of love apart from what someone felt for their family

**They should be different, I thought. I should be afraid — I knew I should be, but I couldn't feel the right kind of fear.**

**I slept dreamlessly that night, exhausted from beginning my day so early, and sleeping so poorly the night before. I woke, for the second time since arriving in Forks, to the bright yellow light of a sunny day. **

**I skipped to the window, stunned to see that there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and those there were just fleecy little white puffs that couldn't possibly be carrying any rain. I opened the window — surprised when it opened silently, without sticking, not having opened it in who knows how many years- and sucked in the relatively dry air. It was nearly warm and hardly windy at all. My blood was electric in my veins.**

**Charlie was finishing breakfast when I came downstairs, and he picked up on my mood immediately.**

**"Nice day out," he commented.**

**"Yes," I agreed with a grin.**

"I'm glad" I said quietly, if it made her happy then I was glad it was sunny

**He smiled back, his brown eyes crinkling around the edges. When Charlie smiled, it was easier to see why he and my mother had jumped too quickly into an early marriage. Most of the young romantic he'd been in those days had faded before I'd known him, as the curly brown hair — the same color, if not the same texture, as mine — had dwindled, slowly revealing more and more of the shiny skin of his forehead.**

**But when he smiled I could see a little of the man who had run away with Renée when she was just two years older than I was now.**

**I ate breakfast cheerily, watching the dust moats stirring in the sunlight that streamed in the back window.**

**Charlie called out a goodbye, and I heard the cruiser pull away from the house. I hesitated on my way out the door, hand on my rain jacket. It would be tempting fate to leave it home. With a sigh, I folded it over my arm and stepped out into the brightest light I'd seen in months.**

**By dint of much elbow grease, I was able to get both windows in the truck almost completely rolled down. I was one of the first ones to school; I hadn't even checked the clock in my hurry to get outside. I parked and headed toward the seldom-used picnic benches on the south side of the cafeteria. The benches were still a little damp, so I sat on my jacket, glad to have a use for it. **

I heard a gasp and turned to Alice who looked scandalized "you cant do that to clothes' even bad clothes'"

I shook my head in resignation Alice would always be Alice a girl who loved to shop

**My homework was done — the product of a slow social life — but there were a few Trig problems I wasn't sure I had right. I took out my book industriously, but halfway through rechecking the first problem I was daydreaming, watching the sunlight play on the red-barked trees. I sketched inattentively along the margins of my homework. After a few minutes, I suddenly realized I'd drawn five pairs of dark eyes staring out of the page at me. I scrubbed them out with the eraser.**

**"Bella!" I heard someone call, and it sounded like Mike.**

**I looked around to realize that the school had become populated while I'd been sitting there, absentminded. Everyone was in t-shirts, some even in shorts though the temperature couldn't be over sixty. **

"I'm surprised thats really hot for here" Esme said surprised and Carlisle nodded in agreement

"but you know what this means don't you" Emmett said sounding eager Jasper shook his head "No but I have a feeling your going to tell me"

Emmett sighed dramatically "Hunting"

I sighed sometimes Emmett could be so dumb

**Mike was coming toward me in khaki shorts and a striped Rugby shirt, waving.**

**"Hey, Mike," I called, waving back, unable to be halfhearted on a morning like this.**

**He came to sit by me, the tidy spikes of his hair shining golden in the light, his grin stretching across his face. He was so delighted to see me, I couldn't help but feel gratified. "I never noticed before — your hair has red in it," he commented, catching between his fingers a strand that was fluttering in the light breeze.**

**"Only in the sun."**

**I became just a little uncomfortable as he tucked the lock behind my ear.**

I growled slightly how dare he go near my Bella

_Wow Edward cool of on the jealousy would you_ Jasper mentally gasped, I turned to him to see him doubled over and quickly got a hold on my emotions

"Sorry" I mumbled

_Its ok _was his reply

**"Great day, isn't it?"**

**"My kind of day," I agreed.**

**"What did you do yesterday?" His tone was just a bit too proprietary.**

**"I mostly worked on my essay." I didn't add that I was finished with it — no need to sound smug.**

**He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Oh yeah — that's due Thursday, right?"**

"Moron" Rosalie muttered causing the rest of us to smirk apart from Esme and Carlisle who just frowned slightly there thoughts echoing each others _He will never get anything done if he cant keep up with a work load_

**"Um, Wednesday, I think."**

**"Wednesday?" He frowned. "That's not good… What are you writing yours on?"**

**"Whether Shakespeare's treatment of the female characters is misogynistic."**

**He stared at me like I'd just spoken in pig Latin.**

"Moron" Rosalie repeated causing us to snicker

**"I guess I'll have to get to work on that tonight," he said, deflated. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go out."**

**"Oh." I was taken off guard. Why couldn't I ever have a pleasant conversation with Mike anymore without it getting awkward?**

"Because he likes you" Alice said her and Rosalie grimacing slightly causing us men to frown, Jasper and Emmett because they hated the idea of someone hitting on there wife's and me because I didn't want it to happen to Bella

**"Well, we could go to dinner or something… and I could work on it later." He smiled at me hopefully.**

**"Mike…" I hated being put on the spot. "I don't think that would be the best idea."**

**His face fell. "Why?" he asked, his eyes guarded. My thoughts flickered to Edward, wondering if that's where his thoughts were as well.**

I smiled she was most definitely in my thoughts now and it was good to confirm that she still wanted me even knowing the truth

**"I think… and if you ever repeat what I'm saying right now I will cheerfully beat you to death," I threatened, **

I smiled slightly as Emmett's booming laugh rang through the room

**"but I think that would hurt Jessica's feelings."**

**He was bewildered, obviously not thinking in that direction at all. "Jessica?"**

**"Really, Mike, are you blind?"**

"Yes" I awnsered grimacing "he doesn't notice her even though she keeps throughing herself at him"

I saw everyone nod in understanding and grimace slightly

**"Oh," he exhaled — clearly dazed. I took advantage of that to make my escape.**

**"It's time for class, and I can't be late again." I gathered my books up and stuffed them in my bag.**

**We walked in silence to building three, and his expression was distracted. I hoped whatever thoughts he was immersed in were leading him in the right direction.**

"Away from her" I muttered

**When I saw Jessica in Trig, she was bubbling with enthusiasm. She, Angela, and Lauren were going to Port Angeles tonight to go dress shopping for the dance, and she wanted me to come, too, even though I didn't need one. I was indecisive. It would be nice to get out of town with some girlfriends, but Lauren would be there. **

I grimaced I had never liked Lauren much and by the scowls on Alice's and Rose's faces neither did they

**And who knew what I could be doing tonight… But that was definitely the wrong path to let my mind wander down. Of course I was happy about the sunlight. But that wasn't completely responsible for the euphoric mood I was in, not even close.**

**So I gave her a maybe, telling her I'd have to talk with Charlie first.**

**She talked of nothing but the dance on the way to Spanish, continuing as if without an interruption when class finally ended, five minutes late, and we were on our way to lunch. I was far too lost in my own frenzy of anticipation to notice much of what she said. I was painfully eager to see not just him but all the Cullens — **

"Oh she wants to see us all," Alice said cheerfully. "I really can't wait until I get to go shopping with her"

**to compare them with the new suspicions that plagued my mind. **

"That kind of puts a damper on it," Alice sighed. "Oh well, I still want to meet her and take her shopping."

**As I crossed the threshold of the cafeteria, I felt the first true tingle of fear slither down my spine and settle in my stomach. Would they be able to know what I was thinking? And then a different feeling jolted through me — would Edward be waiting to sit with me again?**

"Poor girls going to be disappointed when she finds out your not there" Esme said frowning I nodded even though I was happy the sun was out and she could enjoy it, unfortunately it meant that my book self was unable to see her for even longer and I knew it wouldn't be enjoyable for either of us

**As was my routine, I glanced first toward the Cullens' table. A shiver of panic trembled in my stomach as I realized it was empty. With dwindling hope, my eyes scoured the rest of the cafeteria, hoping to find him alone, waiting for me. The place was nearly filled — Spanish had made us late — but there was no sign of Edward or any of his family. Desolation hit me with crippling strength. **

**I shambled along behind Jessica, not bothering to pretend to listen anymore.**

**We were late enough that everyone was already at our table. I avoided the empty chair next to Mike in favor of one by Angela. I vaguely noticed that Mike held the chair out politely for Jessica, and that her face lit up in response.**

"looks like he finally noticed" I muttered "though not with out help" Alice said smiling

"Alice Cullen and Edward Cullen that was rude" Esme scolded looking up from the book and at us in disappointment "we have been lenient about what has been said but don't think to take advantage of it, there only children after all"

Me and Alice nodded in understanding siting quietly for her to continue

**Angela asked a few quiet questions about the Macbeth paper, which I answered as naturally as I could while spiraling downward in misery. She, too, invited me to go with them tonight, and I agreed now, grasping at anything to distract myself.**

**I realized I'd been holding on to a last shred of hope when I entered Biology, saw his empty seat, and felt a new wave of disappointment.**

"Man Edward she's almost as obsessed with you as you are of her" Emmett said laughing I ignored his childish behavior and saw Esme shoot him a warning look to which he replayed with a mumbled "sorry", nodding her head Esme continued

**The rest of the day passed slowly, dismally. In Gym, we had a lecture on the rules of badminton, the next torture they had lined up for me. But at least it meant I got to sit and listen instead of stumbling around on the court. The best part was the coach didn't finish, so I got another day off tomorrow. Never mind that the day after they would arm me with a racket before unleashing me on the rest of the class.**

**I was glad to leave campus, so I would be free to pout and mope before I went out tonight with Jessica and company. But right after I walked in the door of Charlie's house, Jessica called to cancel our plans. I tried to be happy that Mike had asked her out to dinner — I really was relieved that he finally seemed to be catching on — but my enthusiasm sounded false in my own ears. **

"And now she's going to think Bella's jealous of her" Rose sneered

**She rescheduled our shopping trip for tomorrow night.**

**Which left me with little in the way of distractions. I had fish marinating for dinner, with a salad and bread left over from the night before, so there was nothing to do there. I spent a focused half hour on homework, but then I was through with that, too. I checked my e-mail, reading the backlog of letters from my mother, getting snippier as they progressed to the present. I sighed and typed a quick response.**

**Mom,**

**Sorry. I've been out. I went to the beach with some friends. And I had to write a paper.**

**My excuses were fairly pathetic, so I gave up on that.**

**It's sunny outside today - I know, I'm shocked, too - so I'm going to go outside and soak up as much vitamin D as I can. I love you,**

**Bella.**

**I decided to kill an hour with non-school-related reading. I had a small collection of books that came with me to Forks, the shabbiest volume being a compilation of the works of Jane Austen. I selected that one and headed to the backyard, grabbing a ragged old quilt from the linen cupboard at the top of the stairs on my way down.**

**Outside in Charlie's small, square yard, I folded the quilt in half and laid it out of the reach of the trees' shadows on the thick lawn that would always be slightly wet, no matter how long the sun shone. I lay on my stomach, crossing my ankles in the air, flipping through the different novels in the book, trying to decide which would occupy my mind the most thoroughly. My favorites were Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I'd read the first most recently, so I started into Sense and Sensibility, only to remember after I began three that the hero of the story happened to be named Edward. **

I sighed so she was avoiding me again, hopefully it wouldn't last

**Angrily, I turned to Mansfield Park, but the hero of that piece was named Edmund, and that was just too close. Weren't there any other names available in the late eighteenth century?**

"Actually no Edward was considered a very popular name for a while" Carlisle said with a smile

**I snapped the book shut, annoyed, and rolled over onto my back. I pushed my sleeves up as high as they would go, and closed my eyes. I would think of nothing but the warmth on my skin, I told myself severely. The breeze was still light, but it blew tendrils of my hair around my face, and that tickled a bit. I pulled all my hair over my head, letting it fan out on the quilt above me, and focused again on the heat that touched my eyelids, my cheekbones, my nose, my lips, my forearms, my neck, soaked through my light shirt…**

**The next thing I was conscious of was the sound of Charlie's cruiser turning onto the bricks of the driveway. I sat up in surprise, realizing the light was gone, behind the trees, and I had fallen asleep. I looked around, muddled, with the sudden feeling that I wasn't alone.**

I smiled so I was watching over her there was I well as long as I stopped her from doing anything dangerous that was ok

**"Charlie?" I asked. But I could hear his door slamming in front of the house.**

**I jumped up, foolishly edgy, gathering the now-damp quilt and my book. I ran inside to get some oil heating on the stove, realizing that dinner would be late. Charlie was hanging up his gun belt and stepping out of his boots when I came in.**

**"Sorry, Dad, dinner's not ready yet — I fell asleep outside." I stifled a yawn.**

**"Don't worry about it," he said. "I wanted to catch the score on the game, anyway."**

**I watched TV with Charlie after dinner, for something to do. There wasn't anything on I wanted to watch, but he knew I didn't like baseball, so he turned it to some mindless sitcom that neither of us enjoyed. **

I smiled it was good that they were spending time as a family it was important for her as I could already tell that she loved her family dearly

**He seemed happy, though, to be doing something together. And it felt good, despite my depression, to make him happy.**

**"Dad," I said during a commercial, "Jessica and Angela are going to look at dresses for the dance tomorrow night in Port Angeles, and they wanted me to help them choose… do you mind if I go with them?"**

**"Jessica Stanley?" he asked.**

Alice snorted "anyone else notice how nervous he sounds about her going with Jessica"

I nodded maybe Chief Swan was more originally than I had originally thought

**"And Angela Weber." I sighed as I gave him the details.**

**He was confused. "But you're not going to the dance, right?"**

**"No, Dad, but I'm helping them find dresses — you know, giving them constructive criticism." I wouldn't have to explain this to a woman.**

"Of corse not" Alice said scandalized I saw Rose nod in agreement

**"Well, okay." He seemed to realize that he was out of his depth with the girlie stuff. "It's a school night, though."**

**"We'll leave right after school, so we can get back early. You'll be okay for dinner, right?"**

**"Bells, I fed myself for seventeen years before you got here," he reminded me.**

**"I don't know how you survived," I muttered, then added more clearly, "I'll leave some things for cold-cut sandwiches in the fridge, okay? Right on top."**

**It was sunny again in the morning. **

"Whoop no school for us then" Emmett laughed

**I awakened with renewed hope that I grimly tried to suppress. I dressed for the warmer weather in a deep blue V-neck blouse — something I'd worn in the dead of winter in Phoenix.**

I groaned just imagining in her in that brought up emotions I had never felt before, and I could already tell I was going to like her in any shade of blue

**I had planned my arrival at school so that I barely had time to make it to class. With a sinking heart, I circled the full lot looking for a space, while also searching for the silver Volvo that was clearly not there.**

**I parked in the last row and hurried to English, arriving breathless, but subdued, before the final bell.**

**It was the same as yesterday — I just couldn't keep little sprouts of hope from budding in my mind, only to have them squashed painfully as I searched the lunchroom in vain and sat at my empty Biology table.**

**The Port Angeles scheme was back on again for tonight and made all the more attractive by the fact that Lauren had other obligations. I was anxious to get out of town so I could stop glancing over my shoulder, hoping to see him appearing out of the blue the way he always did. I vowed to myself that I would be in a good mood tonight and not ruin Angela's or Jessica's enjoyment in the dress hunting. Maybe I could do a little clothes shopping as well. I refused to think that I might be shopping alone in Seattle this weekend, no longer interested in the earlier arrangement. Surely he wouldn't cancel without at least telling me.**

"No he wouldn't have he's to much of a gentleman to do that" Esme said smiling at me I smiled back slightly "Still I hope the sun doesn't lat much longer" I mumbled to myself

**After school, Jessica followed me home in her old white Mercury so that I could ditch my books and truck. I brushed through my hair quickly when I was inside, feeling a slight lift of excitement as I contemplated getting out of Forks. I left a note for Charlie on the table, explaining again where to find dinner, switched my scruffy wallet from my school bag to a purse I rarely used, and ran out to join Jessica. We went to Angela's house next, and she was waiting for us. My excitement increased exponentially as we actually drove out of the town limits.**

"And thats the end of the chapter, so who will read next" Esme said

"I think I will have a go" Carlisle said taking the Book.

_***sighs in relief* wow sorry about it taking so long you know school anyway hoped you liked it ill try updating a lot sooner next time and my beta was unable to go over this s I hope it wasn't to bad**_

_**love Bella-30 **_


	11. Port Angeles

**E POV**

"**Port Angeles," **Carlisle read.

**Jess drove faster than the Chief, so we made it to Port Angeles by four. It had been a while since I'd had a girls' night out, and the estrogen rush was invigorating. We listened to whiny rock songs while Jessica jabbered on about the boys we hung out with. Jessica's dinner with Mike had gone very well, and she was hoping that by Saturday night they would have progressed to the first-kiss stage.**

Emmett pretended to make gaging noises making the family laugh

"She really sounds like fun" Alice said sarcasticly _I dont like her pretending to be Bella's frieand its not right_ I turned to look at her "I agree but I like to belive we can change this if necassery" I said hoping I sounded more confident than I felt

Alice looked thoughtful for a moment "Well I do agree but its still annoying" I nodded with a laugh Jessica's thoughts were not the most plesent place to be so I could see how being stuck in a car with her would be simmilar

**I smiled to myself, pleased. Angela was passively happy to be going to the dance, but not really interested in Eric. Jess tried to get her to confess who her type was, but I interrupted with a question about dresses after a bit, to spare her. **

Esme smiled that was kind of her to do that for the poor dear

**Angela threw a grateful glance my way.**

**Port Angeles was a beautiful little tourist trap, much more polished and quaint than** **Forks. But Jessica and Angela knew it well, so they didn't plan to waste time on the picturesque boardwalk by the bay. Jess drove straight to the one big department store in town, which were a few streets in from the bay area's visitor-friendly face.**

**The dance was billed as semiformal, and we weren't exactly sure what that meant.**

I saw Alice sigh dramatically " It means formal but not overly dressy as in between formal and Casual"

"You do know the book cant understand you" Emmett said laughing only to stop short at Alice's glare

**Both Jessica and Angela seemed surprised and almost disbelieving when I told them I'd never been to a dance in Phoenix.**

"Not really the was she keep's turning them down" Rose commented mildly I marveled once again at the fact she seemed to almost like the girl I was most defensively falling in love with

**"Didn't you ever go with a boyfriend or something?" Jess asked dubiously as we walked through the front doors of the store.**

**"Really," I tried to convince her, not wanting to confess my dancing problems. "I've never had a boyfriend or anything close. I didn't go out much."**

"That's hard to believe" Emmett muttered sarcastically I glared at him

_What __Ever Eddie I know that's something you like about her so stop with the glare prude_

I sighed it was true that it was a trait of hers I liked but honestly Emmett was just saying it to annoy me

**"Why not?" Jessica demanded.**

**"No one asked me," I answered honestly.**

**She looked skeptical. "People ask you out here," she reminded me, "and you tell them no." **

"Almost she said yes to Edward" Alice chirped I smiled back at her slightly she really was my favorite sister

**We were in the juniors' section now, scanning the racks for dress-up clothes.**

**"Well, except for Tyler," Angela amended quietly.**

everyone blinked in surprise

when had she said yes to him I wondered, then I remembered the accident when he had left before getting her answer

**"Excuse me?" I gasped. "What did you say?"**

**"Tyler told everyone he's taking you to prom," Jessica informed me with suspicious eyes.**

"He really should have waited for an answer before presuming" Esme said while Emmett was on the floor laughing

**"He said **_**what**_**?" I sounded like I was choking.**

**"I told you it wasn't true," Angela murmured to Jessica.**

**I was silent, still lost in shock that was quickly turning to irritation. But we had found the dress racks, and now we had work to do.**

**"That's why Lauren doesn't like you," Jessica giggled while we pawed through the clothes.**

"And Bella's more popular" Rose muttered I nodded that did sound like her

**I ground my teeth. "Do you think that if I ran him over with my truck he would stop feeling guilty about the accident? That he might give up on making amends and call it even?"**

**"Maybe," Jess snickered. '"**_**If **_**that's why he's doing this."**

**The dress selection wasn't large, but both of them found a few things to try on. I sat on a low chair just inside the dressing room, by the three-way mirror, trying to control my fuming.**

**Jess was torn between two — one a long, strapless, basic black number, the other a knee-length electric blue with spaghetti straps. I encouraged her to go with the blue; why not play up the eyes? **

"Some good advice" Alice nodded then frowned "But if she ca give out advice why dose she not dress properly" She all but whined

I sighed "It might be because she doesn't fell the need"

Alice pouted but consented

**Angela chose a pale pink dress that draped around her tall frame nicely and brought out honey tints in her light brown hair. I complimented them both generously and helped by returning the rejects to their racks. The whole process was much shorter and easier than similar trips I'd taken with Renée at home. I guess there was something to be said for limited choices.**

**We headed over to shoes and accessories. While they tried things on I merely watched and critiqued, not in the mood to shop for myself, though I did need new shoes. The girls'-night high was wearing off in the wake of my annoyance at Tyler, leaving room for the gloom to move back in.**

**"Angela?" I began, hesitant, while she was trying on a pair of pink strappy heels — she was overjoyed to have a date tall enough that she could wear high heels at all.**

**Jessica had drifted to the jewelry counter and we were alone.**

**"Yes?" She held her leg out, twisting her ankle to get a better view of the shoe.**

**I chickened out. "I like those."**

**"I think I'll get them — though they'll never match anything but the one dress," she mused.**

**"Oh, go ahead — they're on sale," I encouraged. She smiled, putting the lid back on a box that contained more practical-looking off-white shoes.**

**I tried again. "Um, Angela…" She looked up curiously.**

**"Is it normal for the…Cullen's" — I kept my eyes on the shoes — "to be out of school a lot?" I failed miserably in my attempt to sound nonchalant.**

I sighed "Hopefully Jessica doesn't make a big thing out of her asking about us"

Jasper snorted "Oh please you know she will just feel lucky Angela is there and she wont"

I nodded at least there was that

**"Yes, when the weather is good they go backpacking all the time — even the doctor.** **They're all real outdoorsy," she told me quietly, examining her shoes, too. She didn't ask one question, let alone the hundreds that Jessica would have unleashed. I was beginning to really like Angela.**

"That's good she seams nice" Esme commented

I nodded "She is she has kind thoughts to"and that was always a breath of fresh air with a gift like mine

**"Oh." I let the subject drop as Jessica returned to show us the rhinestone jewelry she'd found to match her silver shoes.**

**We planned to go to dinner at a little Italian restaurant on the boardwalk, but the dress shopping hadn't taken as long as we'd expected. Jess and Angela were going to take their clothes back to the car and then walk down to the bay. I told them I would meet them at the restaurant in an hour — I wanted to look for a bookstore. They were both willing to come with me, but I encouraged them to go have fun — they didn't know how preoccupied I could get when surrounded by books; it was something I preferred to do alone. **

I stiffened slightly something felt off

"I'm not sure that's a great idea" Jasper muttered picking up on my tension

"No neither am I something feels off" I commented quietly to my self but of course the others heard and nodded there agreement

**They walked off to the car chattering happily, and I headed in the direction Jess pointed out.**

**I had no trouble finding the bookstore, but it wasn't what I was looking for. **

I grimaced I knew that book store it wasn't the best for someone with Bella's taste in literature

**The windows were full of crystals, dream-catchers, and books about spiritual healing. I didn't even go inside. Through the glass I could see a fifty-year-old woman with long, gray hair worn straight down her back, clad in a dress right out of the sixties, smiling welcomingly from behind the counter. I decided that was one conversation I could skip. There had to be a normal bookstore in town.**

"Don't go looking please" I all but begged

**I meandered through the streets, which were filling up with end-of-the-workday traffic, and hoped I was headed toward downtown. I wasn't paying as much attention as I should to where I was going; I was wrestling with despair. I was trying so hard not to think about him, and what Angela had said… and more than anything trying to beat down my hopes for Saturday, fearing a disappointment more painful than the rest, when I looked up to see someone's silver Volvo parked along the street and it all came crashing down on me.**

**Stupid, unreliable vampire, I thought to myself.**

Emmett snorted "First its Stupid shiny Volvo owner now this I love this girl" he said trying to loosen some of the tension that had built in the room

I nodded at him gratefully for his attempt

**I stomped along in a southerly direction, toward some glass-fronted shops that looked promising. But when I got to them, they were just a repair shop and a vacant space. I still had too much time to go looking for Jess and Angela yet, and I definitely needed to get my mood in hand before I met back up with them. I ran my fingers through my hair a couple of times and took some deep breaths before I continued around the corner.**

I tensed again my mussels coiling ready to spring this was starting to sound familiar and not in a way I want associated with Bella

**I started to realize, as I crossed another road, that I was going the wrong direction. The little foot traffic I had seen was going north, and it looked like the buildings here were mostly warehouses. I decided to turn east at the next corner, and then loop around after a few blocks and try my luck on a different street on my way back to the boardwalk.**

**A group of four men turned around the corner I was heading for, dressed too casually to be heading home from the office, but they were too grimy to be tourists.**

"If anything happens to her" I growled a deep rumble in my chest

**As they approached me, I realized they weren't too many years older than I was. They were joking loudly among themselves, laughing raucously and punching each other's arms. I scooted as far to the inside of the sidewalk as I could to give them room, walking swiftly, looking past them to the corner.**

**"Hey, there!" one of them called as they passed, and he had to be talking to me since no one else was around. I glanced up automatically. Two of them had paused, the other two were slowing. The closest, a heavyset, dark-haired man in his early twenties, seemed to be the one who had spoken. He was wearing a flannel shirt open over a dirty t-shirt, cutoff jeans, and sandals. He took half a step toward me.**

"There dead"Rosalie hissed

"Don't worry Ill help" I growled how dare they none of the others said a word as they gazed at us wearily

**"Hello," I mumbled, a knee-jerk reaction. Then I quickly looked away and walked faster toward the corner. I could hear them laughing at full volume behind me.**

**"Hey, wait!" one of them called after me again, but I kept my head down and rounded the corner with a sigh of relief. I could still hear them chortling behind me.**

**I found myself on a sidewalk leading past the backs of several somber-colored warehouses, each with large bay doors for unloading trucks, padlocked for the night. The south side of the street had no sidewalk, only a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire protecting some kind of engine parts storage yard. I'd wandered far past the part of Port Angeles that I, as a guest, was intended to see. It was getting dark, I realized, the clouds finally returning, piling up on the western horizon, creating an early sunset. The eastern sky was still clear, but graying, shot through with streaks of pink and orange. I'd left my jacket in the car, and a sudden shiver made me cross my arms tightly across my chest. A single van passed me, and then the road was empty.**

**The sky suddenly darkened further, and, as I looked over my shoulder to glare at the offending cloud, I realized with a shock that two men were walking quietly twenty feet behind me.**

"NO" me and Rosalie shouted at the same time it was a trap

**They were from the same group I'd passed at the corner, though neither was the dark one who'd spoken to me. I turned my head forward at once, quickening my pace. A chill that had nothing to do with the weather made me shiver again. My purse was on a shoulder strap and I had it slung across my body, the way you were supposed to wear it so it wouldn't get snatched. I knew exactly where my pepper spray was — still in my duffle bag under the bed, never unpacked. I didn't have much money with me, just a twenty and some ones, and I thought about "accidentally" dropping my bag and walking away. **

"that's not what there after" Rosalie growled darkly Emmett holding her back from ripping the book apart piece by piece while it was Jasper holding me back

**But a small, frightened voice in the back of my mind warned me that they might be something worse than thieves.**

**I listened intently to their quiet footsteps, which were much too quiet when compared to the boisterous noise they'd been making earlier, and it didn't sound like they were speeding up, or getting any closer to me. **

**Breathe, I had to remind myself. You don't know they're following you. I continued to walk as quickly as I could without actually running, focusing on the right-hand turn that was only a few yards away from me now. I could hear them, staying as far back as they'd been before. A blue car turned onto the street from the south and drove quickly past me. I thought of jumping out in front of it, but I hesitated, inhibited, unsure that I was really being pursued, and then it was too late.**

**I reached the corner, but a swift glance revealed that it was only a blind drive to the back of another building. I was half-turned in anticipation; I had to hurriedly correct and dash across the narrow drive, back to the sidewalk. The street ended at the next corner, where there was a stop sign. I concentrated on the faint footsteps behind me, deciding whether or not to run. They sounded farther back, though, and I knew they could outrun me in any case. I was sure to trip and go sprawling if I tried to go any faster. **

"Shit" Emmett muttered _This is bad really bad god and because of her clumsiness she cant get out of there faster_

I Snarled lunging for the book only to be pulled back as Carlisle continued his voice tense

**The footfalls were definitely farther back. I risked a quick glance over my shoulder, and they were maybe forty feet back now, I saw with relief. **

**But they were both staring at me.**

**It seemed to take forever for me to get to the corner. I kept my pace steady, the men behind me falling ever so slightly farther behind with every step. Maybe they realized they had scared me and were sorry. **

"Just run" Rosalie screamed the same time I shouted "If they touch her there dead"

**I saw two cars going north pass the intersection I was heading for, and I exhaled in relief. There would be more people around once I got off this deserted street. I skipped around the corner with a grateful sigh.**

**And skidded to a stop.**

**The street was lined on both sides by blank, doorless, windowless walls. I could see in the distance, two intersections down, streetlamps, cars, and more pedestrians, but they were all too far away. Because lounging against the western building, midway down the street, were the other two men from the group, both watching with excited smiles as I froze dead on the sidewalk. I realized then that I wasn't being followed.**

**I was being herded.**

"If they so much as touch her ripping them apart limb from limb wont be slow enough" Alice hissed anger coating her pretty face

**I paused for only a second, but it felt like a very long time. I turned then and darted to the other side of the road. I had a sinking feeling that it was a wasted attempt. The footsteps behind me were louder now.**

**"There you are!" The booming voice of the stocky, dark-haired man shattered the intense quiet and made me jump. In the gathering darkness, it seemed like he was looking past me.**

**"Yeah," a voice called loudly from behind me, making me jump again as I tried to hurry down the street. "We just took a little detour."**

**My steps had to slow now. I was closing the distance between myself and the lounging pair too quickly. I had a good loud scream, and I sucked in air, preparing to use it, but my throat was so dry I wasn't sure how much volume I could manage.**

"God Edward where the hell are you" Rosalie shouted rounding on me

"I don't know" I shouted back if anything happened to her I would never forgive my self

**With a quick movement I slipped my purse over my head, gripping the strap with one hand, ready to surrender it or use it as weapon as need demanded.**

**The thickset man shrugged away from the wall as I warily came to a stop, and walked slowly into the street.**

**"Stay away from me," I warned in a voice that was supposed to sound strong and fearless. But I was right about the dry throat — no volume.**

**"Don't be like that, sugar," he called, and the raucous laughter started again behind me.**

This time it was both Rose and my self that lunged at the book only to be shoved back

"Hurry the hell up Carlisle I don't think we can hold them much longer" Jasper grunted behind me but I paid him no mind still struggling to get free

**I braced myself, feet apart, trying to remember through my panic what little self-defense I knew. Heel of the hand thrust upward, hopefully breaking the nose or shoving it into the brain. Finger through the eye socket — try to hook around and pop the eye out.**

Carlisle read rushing through the words

**And the standard knee to the groin, of course. That same pessimistic voice in my mind spoke up then, reminding me that I probably wouldn't have a chance against one of them, and there were four. Shut up! I commanded the voice before terror could incapacitate me.**

**I wasn't going out without taking someone with me. I tried to swallow so I could build up a decent scream.**

******Headlights suddenly flew around the corner, the car almost hitting the stocky one, forcing him to jump back toward the sidewalk. **

I relaxed slightly as I heard the last sentence

"Where the hell have you been Edward" Rose shouted at me

I swallowed I would like to know that also

**I dove into the road —**_**this **_**car was going to stop, or have to hit me. But the silver car unexpectedly fishtailed around, skidding to a stop with the passenger door open just a few feet from me.**

**"Get in," a furious voice commanded.**

"Please listen" I begged

**It was amazing how instantaneously the choking fear vanished, amazing how suddenly the feeling of security washed over me — even before I was off the street — as soon as I heard his voice. **

**I jumped into the seat, slamming the door shut behind me.**

**It was dark in the car, no light had come on with the opening of the door, and I could barely see his face in the glow from the dashboard. The tires squealed as he spun around to face north, accelerating too quickly, swerving toward the stunned men on the street. I caught a glimpse of them diving for the sidewalk as we straightened out and sped toward the harbor.**

**"Put on your seat belt," he commanded, and I realized I was clutching the seat with both hands. I quickly obeyed; the snap as the belt connected was loud in the darkness. He took a sharp left, racing forward, blowing through several stop signs without a pause.**

**But I felt utterly safe and, for the moment, totally unconcerned about where we were going. I stared at his face in profound relief, relief that went beyond my sudden deliverance. I studied his flawless features in the limited light, waiting for my breath to return to normal, until it occurred to me that his expression was murderously angry.**

**"Are you okay?" I asked, surprised at how hoarse my voice sounded.**

"Edward, shouldn't it be the other way around?" Alice asked.

"I don't think I'm tame enough to speak" I hissed breathing harshly still

**"No," he said curtly, and his tone was livid.**

**I sat in silence, watching his face while his blazing eyes stared straight ahead, until the car came to a sudden stop. I glanced around, but it was too dark to see anything beside the vague outline of dark trees crowding the roadside. We weren't in town anymore.**

**"Bella?" he asked, his voice tight, controlled.**

**"Yes?" My voice was still rough. I tried to clear my throat quietly.**

**"Are you all right?" He still didn't look at me, but the fury was plain on his face.**

"Better" Alice muttered

**"Yes," I croaked softly.**

**"Distract me, please," he ordered.**

**"I'm sorry, what?"**

**He exhaled sharply.**

**"Just prattle about something unimportant until I calm down," he clarified, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.**

**"Um." I wracked my brain for something trivial. "I'm going to run over Tyler Crowley tomorrow before school?"**

I chuckled that should help at least

**He was still squeezing his eyes closed, but the corner of his mouth twitched.**

**"Why?"**

**"He's telling everyone that he's taking me to prom — either he's insane or he's still trying to make up for almost killing me last… well, you remember it, and he think **_**prom **_**is somehow the correct way to do this. So I figure if I endanger his life, then we're even, and he can't keep trying to make amends. I don't need enemies and maybe Lauren would back off if he left me alone. I might have to total his Sentra, though. If he doesn't have a ride he can't take anyone to prom…" I babbled on.**

**"I heard about that." He sounded a bit more composed.**

_Not the right thing to say _Alice thought to me griming I gave her a questioning look that she ignored

**"**_**You **_**did?" I asked in disbelief, my previous irritation flaring. "If he's paralyzed from the neck down, he can't go to the prom, either," I muttered, refining my plan.**

Us boys gave a laugh while the girls simply giggled

**Edward sighed, and finally opened his eyes.**

**"Better?"**

"doubtfully" I muttered

**"Not really."**

**I waited, but he didn't speak again. He leaned his head back against the seat, staring at the ceiling of the car. His face was rigid.**

**"What's wrong?" My voice came out in a whisper.**

**"Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella." He was whispering, too, and as he stared out the window, his eyes narrowed into slits. "But it **_**wouldn't **_**be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those…" **

"Wana be" Rose muttered darkly

**He didn't finish his sentence, looking away, struggling for a moment to control his anger again. "At least," he continued, "that's what I'm trying to convince myself."**

"Doesn't seem to be working though" I muttered I still wanted to make those sorry excuses for humans pay after what they tried to do to Bella and looking over at Rosalie I knew I would have an accomplice

**"Oh." The word seemed inadequate, but I couldn't think of a better response.**

**We sat in silence again. I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was past six-thirty.**

**"Jessica and Angela will be worried," I murmured. "I was supposed to meet them."**

**He started the engine without another word, turning around smoothly and speeding back toward town. We were under the streetlights in no time at all, still going too fast, weaving with ease through the cars slowly cruising the boardwalk. He parallel-parked against the curb in a space I would have thought much too small for the Volvo, but he slid in effortlessly in one try. I looked out the window to see the lights of La Bella Italia, and Jess and Angela just leaving, pacing anxiously away from us.**

**"How did you know where… ?" I began, but then I just shook my head. **

"That's a good question how did you know where to find her" asked Jasper

"I was probably listening to others thoughts about if they had seen her it might explain why it took me so long to find her because the only thoughts of her would have been coming from there minds" I replayed tiredly

**I heard the door open and turned to see him getting out.**

**"What are you doing?" I asked.**

******"I'm taking you to dinner." He smiled slightly, but his eyes were hard. **

"Ohh Eddie on his first date I'm so proud" Emmett said fake cooing I ignored him I was to drained to bother at the moment

**He stepped out of the car and slammed the door. I fumbled with my seat belt, and then hurried to get out of the car as well. He was waiting for me on the sidewalk.**

**He spoke before I could. "Go stop Jessica and Angela before I have to track them down, too. I don't think I could restrain myself if I ran into your other friends again."**

"No I defiantly wouldn't be able to" I muttered

**I shivered at the threat in his voice.**

**"Jess! Angela!" I yelled after them, waving when they turned. They rushed back to me, the pronounced relief on both their faces simultaneously changing to surprise as they saw who I was standing next to. **

"Great Jessica's probably driving me crazy with her thoughts" I sighed

**They hesitated a few feet from us.**

**"Where have you been?" Jessica's voice was suspicious.**

**"I got lost," I admitted sheepishly. "And then I ran into Edward." I gestured toward him.**

**"Would it be all right if I joined you?" he asked in his silken, irresistible voice. I could see from their staggered expressions that he had never unleashed his talents on them before.**

**"Er… sure," Jessica breathed.**

**"Um, actually, Bella, we already ate while we were waiting — sorry," Angela confessed.**

**"That's fine — I'm not hungry." I shrugged.**

**"I think you should eat something." Edward's voice was low, but full of authority. He looked up at Jessica and spoke slightly louder. "Do you mind if I drive Bella home tonight? That way you won't have to wait while she eats."**

"She probably wants to wait to get more gossip" Alice huffed as Jasper pulled her to his side and gently rubbed soothing circles on her arm"

**"Uh, no problem, I guess…" She bit her lip, trying to figure out from my expression whether that was what I wanted. I winked at her. I wanted nothing more than to be alone with my perpetual savior. There were so many questions that I couldn't bombard him with till we were by ourselves.**

I groaned and ignored both Jasper and Emmett as they laughed at me

**"Okay." Angela was quicker than Jessica. "See you tomorrow, Bella… Edward." She grabbed Jessica's hand and pulled her toward the car, which I could see a little ways away, parked across First Street. **

I sighed thankful for Angela

**As they got in, Jess turned and waved, her face eager with curiosity. I waved back, waiting for them to drive away before I turned to face him.**

**"Honestly, I'm not hungry," I insisted, looking up to scrutinize his face. **

"You could still be in shock" I huffed

Carlisle looked up from reading "That was good of you to remember Edward even if you were angry taking care of her is the better option here"

I nodded my thanks to him

**His expression was unreadable.**

**"Humor me."**

**He walked to the door of the restaurant and held it open with an obstinate expression.**

**Obviously, there would be no further discussion. **

**I walked past him into the restaurant with a resigned sigh.**

**The restaurant wasn't crowded — it was the off-season in Port Angeles. The host was female, and I understood the look in her eyes as she assessed Edward. She welcomed him a little more warmly than necessary. I was surprised by how much that bothered me.**

"Your both so possessive of each other"Alice smiled at me I ducked my head in embarrassment

**She was several inches taller than I was, and unnaturally blond.**

**"A table for two?" His voice was alluring, whether he was aiming for that or not. **

**I saw her eyes flicker to me and then away, satisfied by my obvious ordinariness, and by the cautious, no-contact space Edward kept between us. She led us to a table big enough for four in the center of the most crowded area of the dining floor.**

"She did that on purpose" Alice huffed

**I was about to sit, but Edward shook his head at me.**

**"Perhaps something more private?" he insisted quietly to the host.**

I sighed "I must have know she was going to bombard me with questions"

Alice nodded her head in agreement _That or you wanted to have some alone time with her_

I ignored her last thought

**I wasn't sure, but it looked like he smoothly handed her a tip. I'd never seen anyone refuse a table except in old movies.**

**"Sure." She sounded as surprised as I was. She turned and led us around a partition to a small ring of booths — all of them empty. "How's this?"**

**"Perfect." He flashed his gleaming smile, dazing her momentarily.**

"What I was trying to scare her" I muttered "Why didn't it work"

**"Um" — she shook her head, blinking — "your server will be right out." She walked away unsteadily.**

"damn why didn't it work" I muttered ignoring Emmett laughing at me

**"You really shouldn't do that to people," I criticized. "It's hardly fair."**

**"Do what?"**

**"Dazzle them like that — she's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now."**

**He seemed confused.**

"Because I was trying to scare her not dazzle her" I muttered unhappily

**"Oh, come on," I said dubiously. "You **_**have **_**to know the effect you have on people."**

**He tilted his head to one side, and his eyes were curious. "I dazzle people?"**

**"You haven't noticed? Do you think everybody gets their way so easily?"**

"Huh, interesting" I said contemplating this

**He ignored my questions. "Do I dazzle **_**you?**_**"**

**"Frequently," I admitted.**

"Yes" I said happily as my family laughed

**And then our server arrived, her face expectant. The hostess had definitely dished behind the scenes, and this new girl didn't look disappointed. She flipped a strand of short black hair behind one ear and smiled with unnecessary warmth.**

**"Hello. My name is Amber, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?" I didn't miss that she was speaking only to him.**

"Huh Eddie she's easily jealous just like you" Emmett laughed I smiled though I didn't mind the idea of her being jealous over me

**He looked at me.**

**"I'll have a Coke." It sounded like a question.**

**"Two Cokes," he said.**

**"I'll be right back with that," she assured him with another unnecessary smile. But he didn't see it. He was watching me.**

"Of course the only thing even remotely worth paying attention to in the room was Bella"

**"What?" I asked when she left.**

**His eyes stayed fixed on my face. "How are you feeling?"**

**"I'm fine," I replied, surprised by his intensity.**

**"You don't feel dizzy, sick, cold…?"**

"Nice job son" Carlisle said

**"Should I?"**

**He chuckled at my puzzled tone.**

**"Well, I'm actually waiting for you to go into shock." His face twisted up into that perfect crooked smile.**

**"I don't think that will happen," I said after I could breathe again. "I've always been very good at repressing unpleasant things."**

I didn't like the sound of that and again wondered how she had serviced before arriving in Forks

**"Just the same, I'll feel better when you have some sugar and food in you."**

**Right on cue, the waitress appeared with our drinks and a basket of bread sticks. She stood with her back to me as she placed them on the table.**

**"Are you ready to order?" she asked Edward.**

"How rude" Esme murmured reviving nods of agreement from both Alice and Rosalie

**"Bella?" he asked. She turned unwillingly toward me.**

**I picked the first thing I saw on the menu. "Um… I'll have the mushroom ravioli."**

**"And you?" She turned back to him with a smile.**

**"Nothing for me," he said. **

I must be giving up pretense I though warily looking at the other members of my family

**Of course not.**

**"Let me know if you change your mind." The coy smile was still in place, but he wasn't looking at her, and she left dissatisfied.**

**"Drink," he ordered.**

**I sipped at my soda obediently, and then drank more deeply, surprised by how thirsty I was. **

"Only mild shock that's good" Carlisle said I nodded that was much better than the alternative

**I realized I had finished the whole thing when he pushed his glass toward me.**

**"Thanks," I muttered, still thirsty. The cold from the icy soda was radiating through my chest, and I shivered.**

**"Are you cold?"**

**"It's just the Coke," I explained, shivering again.**

**"Don't you have a jacket?" His voice was disapproving.**

**"Yes." I looked at the empty bench next to me. "Oh — I left it in Jessica's car," I realized.**

**Edward was shrugging out of his jacket. **

"doubt it'll warm her up but its better than nothing" I said and saw my family nod in agreement

**I suddenly realized that I had never once noticed what he was wearing — **

"Ugh" Alice started "Can't she take her eyes of your face to admire my work?" Alice yelled and the rest of us started to laugh at her

**not just tonight, but ever. I just couldn't seem to look away from his face. I made myself look now, focusing. He was removing a light beige leather jacket now; underneath he wore an ivory turtleneck sweater. It fit him snugly, emphasizing how muscular his chest was.**

**He handed me the jacket, interrupting my ogling.**

**"Thanks," I said again, sliding my arms into his jacket. It was cold — the way my jacket felt when I first picked it up in the morning, hanging in the drafty hallway. I shivered again. It smelled amazing. I inhaled, trying to identify the delicious scent. It didn't smell like cologne. **

"your sent its attractive to her" Esme said smiling I ducked my head in embarrassment

**The sleeves were much too long; I shoved them back so I could free my hands.**

**"That color blue looks lovely with your skin," he said, watching me. **

I smiled my favorite colour

**I was surprised; I looked down, flushing, of course.**

**He pushed the bread basket toward me.**

**"Really, I'm not going into shock," I protested.**

**"You should be — a **_**normal **_**person would be. You don't even look shaken." He seemed unsettled. He stared into my eyes, and I saw how light his eyes were, lighter than I'd ever seen them, golden butterscotch.**

"I must have hunted recently" I muttered maybe before she went out that day

**"I feel very safe with you," I confessed, mesmerized into telling the truth again.**

**That displeased him; his alabaster brow furrowed. He shook his head, frowning.**

**"This is more complicated than I'd planned," he murmured to himself.**

**I picked up a breadstick and began nibbling on the end, measuring his expression. I wondered when it would be okay to start questioning him.**

**"Usually you're in a better mood when your eyes are so light," I commented, trying to distract him from whatever thought had left him frowning and somber.**

I stilled as gazed at the rest of my family in shock

"she really is way to observant for her own good" Jasper muttered

**He stared at me, stunned. "What?"**

**"You're always crabbier when your eyes are black — I expect it then," I went on. "I have a theory about that."**

**His eyes narrowed. "More theories?"**

**"Mm-hm." I chewed on a small bite of the bread, trying to look indifferent.**

**"I hope you were more creative this time… or are you still stealing from comic books?"**

**His faint smile was mocking; his eyes were still tight.**

**"Well, no, I didn't get it from a comic book, but I didn't come up with it on my own, either," I confessed.**

**"And?" he prompted.**

**But then the waitress strode around the partition with my food. I realized we'd been**

**unconsciously leaning toward each other across the table, because we both straightened up as she approached. She set the dish in front of me — it looked pretty good — and turned quickly to Edward.**

**"Did you change your mind?" she asked. "Isn't there anything I can get you?" I may have been imagining the double meaning in her words.**

I scowled at the book I dint like the way my time with Bella kept being interrupted

**"No, thank you, but some more soda would be nice." He gestured with a long white hand to the empty cups in front of me.**

**"Sure." She removed the empty glasses and walked away.**

**"You were saying?" he asked.**

**"I'll tell you about it in the car. If…" I paused.**

**"There are conditions?" He raised one eyebrow, his voice ominous.**

**"I do have a few questions, of course."**

**"Of course."**

**The waitress was back with two more Cokes. She sat them down without a word this time, and left again.**

**I took a sip.**

**"Well, go ahead," he pushed, his voice still hard.**

**I started with the most undemanding. Or so I thought. "Why are you in Port Angeles?"**

"cough stalking cough" Emmett said I shot him a glare

"I wasn't stalking I was making sure she was ok and by what happened its a good thing I did" I hissed at him

**He looked down, folding his large hands together slowly on the table. His eyes flickered up at me from under his lashes, the hint of a smirk on his face.**

**"Next."**

**"But that's the easiest one," I objected.**

**"Next," he repeated.**

**I looked down, frustrated. I unrolled my silverware, picked up my fork, and carefully speared a ravioli. I put it in my mouth slowly, still looking down, chewing while I thought. The mushrooms were good. I swallowed and took another sip of Coke before I looked up.**

**"Okay, then." I glared at him, and continued slowly. "Let's say, hypothetically of course, that… someone… could know what people are thinking, read minds, you know — with a few exceptions."**

**"Just **_**one **_**exception," he corrected, "hypothetically."**

"Really its so unfair that you can hear us and not her" Emmett sulked

"Its not a choice" I huffed if I could turn it of I would

**"All right, with one exception, then." I was thrilled that he was playing along, but I tried to seem casual.**

**"How does that work? What are the limitations? How would… that someone… find someone else at exactly the right time? How would he know she was in trouble?" I wondered if my convoluted questions even made sense.**

**"Hypothetically?" he asked.**

**"Sure."**

**"Well, if… that someone…"**

**"Let's call him 'Joe,'" I suggested.**

"Joe" Emmett laughed I ignored him again

**He smiled wryly. "Joe, then. If Joe had been paying attention, the timing wouldn't have needed to be quite so exact." He shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Only **_**you **_**could get into trouble in a town this small. **

"you do have a point a lot of accidents do seem to happen around her" Carlisle contemplated _I mean first there was her blood singing to you then the van then tonight she just seems to attract danger_

I nodded it was very true she did attract danger like no tomorrow

**You would have devastated their crime rate statistics for a decade, you know."**

**"We were speaking of a hypothetical case," I reminded him frostily.**

We laughed at that

**He laughed at me, his eyes warm.**

**"Yes, we were," he agreed. "Shall we call you 'Jane'?"**

**"How did you know?" I asked, unable to curb my intensity. I realized I was leaning toward him again.**

**He seemed to be wavering, torn by some internal dilemma. His eyes locked with mine, and I guessed he was making the decision right then whether or not to simply tell me the truth.**

**"You can trust me, you know," I murmured. **

"I know" I muttered it was odd but I felt like I already trusted her like I knew her

**I reached forward, without thinking, to touch his folded hands, but he slid them away minutely, and I pulled my hand back.**

**"I don't know if I have a choice anymore." His voice was almost a whisper. "I was wrong — you're much more observant than I gave you credit for."**

"Understatement much"Jasper snorted and I nodded in agreement

**"I thought you were always right."**

"I love this" Emmett laughed as did the others while I rolled my eyes

**"I used to be." He shook his head again. "I was wrong about you on one other thing, as well. You're not a magnet for accidents — that's not a broad enough classification. You are a magnet for **_**trouble**_**. If there is anything dangerous within a ten-mile radius, it will invariably find you."**

"Yes she defiantly is a danger magnet" Carlisle said looking slightly amused

**"And you put yourself into that category?" I guessed.**

**His face turned cold, expressionless. "Unequivocally."**

**I stretched my hand across the table again — ignoring him when he pulled back slightly once more — to touch the back of his hand shyly with my fingertips. His skin was cold and hard, like a stone.**

**"Thank you." My voice was fervent with gratitude. "That's twice now."**

**His face softened. "Let's not try for three, agreed?"**

"please" I added as the others laughed

**I scowled, but nodded. He moved his hand out from under mine, placing both of his under the table. But he leaned toward me.**

**"I followed you to Port Angeles," he admitted, speaking in a rush. **

******"I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed. But that's probably just because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes." He paused. I wondered if it should bother me that he was following me; instead I felt a strange surge of pleasure. **

"What a strange human" Rosalie muttered I smiled she may be strange but that was one of the things I loved about her, the way she could just accept thing was truly endearing

**He stared, maybe wondering why my lips were curving into an involuntary smile.**

**"Did you ever think that maybe my number was up the first time, with the van, and that you've been interfering with fate?" I speculated, distracting myself.**

"Actually I was the first time and no your life is to pressures" I said staring at the book

**"That wasn't the first time," he said, and his voice was hard to hear. I stared at him in amazement, but he was looking down. "Your number was up the first time I met you."**

**I felt a spasm of fear at his words, at the abrupt memory of his violent black glare that first day… but the overwhelming sense of safety I felt in his presence stifled it.**

"It seams she does have a sense of self preservation after all I was wondering" Jasper said quietly

**By the time he looked up to read my eyes, there was no trace of fear in them.**

**"You remember?" he asked, his angel's face grave.**

**"Yes." I was calm.**

**"And yet here you sit." There was a trace of disbelief in his voice; he raised one eyebrow.**

**"Yes, here I sit… because of you." I paused. "Because somehow you knew how to find me today… ?"I prompted.**

**He pressed his lips together, staring at me through narrowed eyes, deciding again. His eyes flashed down to my full plate, and then back to me.**

**"You eat, I'll talk," he bargained.**

**I quickly scooped up another ravioli and popped it in my mouth.**

**"It's harder than it should be — keeping track of you. Usually I can find someone very easily, once I've heard their mind before." He looked at me anxiously, and I realized I had frozen. **

"Hmm that does sound odd to hear it doesn't it" I said softly Emmett snorted "ya think"

**I made myself swallow, then stabbed another ravioli and tossed it in.**

**"I was keeping tabs on Jessica, not carefully — like I said, only you could find trouble in Port Angeles — and at first I didn't notice when you took off on your own. Then, when I realized that you weren't with her anymore, I went looking for you at the bookstore I saw in her head. I could tell that you hadn't gone in, and that you'd gone south… and I knew you would have to turn around soon. So I was just waiting for you, randomly searching through the thoughts of people on the street — to see if anyone had noticed you so I would know where you were. I had no reason to be worried… but I was strangely anxious…" He was lost in thought, staring past me, seeing things I couldn't imagine.**

**"I started to drive in circles, still… listening. The sun was finally setting, and I was about to get out and follow you on foot. And then —" He stopped, clenching his teeth together in sudden fury. He made an effort to calm himself.**

I growled so I had been partially right with my earlier guess of what had happened

**"Then what?" I whispered. He continued to stare over my head.**

**"I heard what they were thinking," he growled, his upper lip curling slightly back over his teeth. "I saw your face in his mind." He suddenly leaned forward, one elbow appearing on the table, his hand covering his eyes. The movement was so swift it startled me.**

**"It was very… hard — you can't imagine how hard — for me to simply take you away, and leave them… alive." His voice was muffled by his arm. "I could have let you go with Jessica and Angela, but I was afraid if you left me alone, I would go looking for them," he admitted in a whisper.**

"You know you sound totally psychotic telling her so calmly that you want to go of and murder people" Alice said stunned I sighed it sounded like I was still trying to give her a chance to leave

**I sat quietly, dazed, my thoughts incoherent. My hands were folded in my lap, and I was leaning weakly against the back of the seat. He still had his face in his hand, and he was as still as if he'd been carved from the stone his skin resembled.**

**Finally he looked up, his eyes seeking mine, full of his own questions.**

**"Are you ready to go home?" he asked.**

**"I'm ready to leave," I qualified, overly grateful that we had the hour-long ride home together. **

I laughed with the rest of my family with are driving it was more of a 15 minute drive

**I wasn't ready to say goodbye to him.**

**The waitress appeared as if she'd been called. Or watching.**

**"How are we doing?" she asked Edward.**

**"We're ready for the check, thank you." His voice was quiet, rougher, still reflecting the strain of our conversation. It seemed to muddle her. He looked up, waiting.**

**"S-sure," she stuttered. "Here you go." She pulled a small leather folder from the front pocket of her black apron and handed it to him.**

**There was a bill in his hand already. He slipped it into the folder and handed it right back to her.**

**"No change." He smiled. Then he stood up, and I scrambled awkwardly to my feet.**

**She smiled invitingly at him again. "You have a nice evening."**

**He didn't look away from me as he thanked her. I suppressed a smile.**

"She seams happy that you didn't show interest" Esme smiled

I smiled back "That's because I only have eyes for her" both Alice and Rosalie smiled at me

**He walked close beside me to the door, still careful not to touch me. I remembered what Jessica had said about her relationship with Mike, how they were almost to the first-kiss stage. I sighed.**

**Edward seemed to hear me, and he looked down curiously. I looked at the sidewalk, grateful that he didn't seem to be able to know what I was thinking.**

"I doubt shell like that we read these" Jasper laughed as did me and Emmett while Rose and Alice smiled

**He opened the passenger door, holding it for me as I stepped in, shutting it softly behind me. I watched him walk around the front of the car, amazed, yet again, by how graceful he was. I probably should have been used to that by now — but I wasn't. I had a feeling Edward wasn't the kind of person anyone got used to.**

**Once inside the car, he started the engine and turned the heater on high. It had gotten very cold, and I guessed the good weather was at an end. I was warm in his jacket, though, breathing in the scent of it when I thought he couldn't see.**

**Edward pulled out through the traffic, apparently without a glance, flipping around to head toward the freeway.**

**"Now," he said significantly, "it's your turn."**

"And that the end of the chapter, who would like to read next" Carlisle asked

"I will" Jasper said taking the book

"Next chapter is **Theory**"

* * *

**Yay its a new chapter most of you didn't believe I would update sooner than my last but I did and even though I still love you I'll get a new chapter up some time soon well at least with in this year **

**anyway have a good one Love Bella-30  
**


End file.
